Hikaru's Sorrow, Haruhi's Tears, Kaoru's Wish
by Hotaru Gunso
Summary: AUTHOR'S NOTE! After Kaoru passes, Hikaru turns to alcohol and makes both himself and Haruhi pay for his mistakes. As the host club deals with the tragedy and a new challenge, Hikaru strives to take responsibility and make Kaoru's last wish come true.
1. Losing Grip

_Haruhi trudged home gloomily after school that day, the same way she has since Hikaru officially went AWOL: deep in thought, concerned about him and how he was feeling. She had been able to get back into the rhythm of her regular routine not long after Kaoru's funeral and was usually in her typical hard-working mindset, but that never allowed her worry for the older twin (who was technically no longer a twin) to subside._

'I wonder if he's just not coming back to Ouran ever again', _she thought as she continued home. She contemplated all the possibilites for what he might plan to do._ 'I'm sure he could easily transfer to any other elite school with his family's money. Coming back to Ouran might remind him too much of all the times he's had there with Kaoru. But even if that is the case and while this is all probably still hard for him, he should still at least let us all know what's going on. Ugh, I guess I should still give him a break.'

_While she didn't show it often, Haruhi did genuinely care for and love her fellow host club members, even when they annoyed the hell out of her, and they did for her as well. Hikaru was included. She knew especially how much he cared for her. So why she of all people was in the dark about what was going on was definitely a mystery to her as well._

_When Haruhi finally approached the door to her and her dad's apartment, she was far from prepared for what she would see after unlocking the door and opening it._

_Her bag fell right off of her shoulder as her eyes and mouth opened up wide to the site of her now practically obliterated apartment._

_The living room table and a few chairs were tipped over and broken, drawers were pulled right out with their contents spilled all over the floor, the walls looked as if Ranka threw Tamaki back into them tenfold, broken glass (which were probably once beer bottles, considering the smell emitting from them) was everywhere, the carpets were stained with what smelled like alcohol, it goes on._

_It took Haruhi a few moments to let this all sink in. Once it did, she immediately came up with what she considered the only reasonable conclusion._

'Oh, Dad...I thought that you had recovered by now, but I guess some old habits die hard. And I'm sure my own personal problems have only been putting undeserved stress on you,' _Haruhi thought as a saddened expression came upon her face. After it had been some time since her dad had come home drunk, she was relieved to think that his binge drinking days were over. This mess proved otherwise._

_Or, that's what she thought was the real conclusion._

_After getting over the inital shock, she quickly but carefully walked around the broken glass and pieces of wood that were once furniture. She was still shocked though; she never imagined her dad going on such a rampage after getting drunk. It didn't seem like him, but she couldn't think of another explanation. All she hoped now was to find him and somehow console him._

_Finally making it to his room (where a trail that reeked of alcohol led to), she hesitatingly opened the door, trying not to make too much noise so she wouldn't scare who she thought would be her dad._

_"Uh, dad...I'm home...are you okay?" she asked nervously as the door creeked open. She peeked her head inside to get a good view of his room._

_The bedroom looked pretty normal for the most part. Only one emptied bottle was lying on the floor, completely intact thankfully. That and someone was obviously lying right in the middle of the twin-sized futon underneath the covers, his head laying right on top of a pillow with the covers over it as well. Haruhi could hear his exasperated moaning, which made her slightly cringe._

_"Dad...have you been going overboard with the drinking again?" she asked as she quietly tiptoed over to the side of the futon. "It's okay. I'm here and I can get you some pain reliever and water if you want right now, but you have to quit this habit. It's not good for you," she told him comfortingly as she soothingly rubbed his head. She figured she'd scold him about wrecking their home later. "Now come on. You'll suffocate under there." She took her hand off his head and grabbed the covers to pull them off._

_She was in no way prepared to see who it really was that had been drinking and going on a rampage in her own home._

_As soon as she lifted off the covers to get a good look at who the culprit really was, she gasped and immediately dropped the blanket on top of his bare chest._

_"...Hi-...Hikaru?" Haruhi stared in horror as the severely drunk Hikaru, still lying on the bed, groggily opened his eyes and looked her straight in the eye. She began backing away in fear. She almost yelped once he shot right up and stared intently at her._

_"Haruhi! What're you doin' here? This is my sanctuary! I'm supposed to be alone! I want to sulk and rid of my sorrow alone, so get lost!" he exclaimed angrily. His speech somewhat slurred. No question. He had surely been drinking, probably right out of Ranka's cabinet._

_"Excuse me? Hikaru, this happens to be _my _apartment and_ my dad's _room! I don't even know how you could have gotten in here!" Haruhi yelled right back at him, not risking getting any closer to him as she slowly crept backwards a bit before hitting the wall behind her._

_Haruhi definitely felt the urge to cry now, which did not happen that often. Only a terrible or frightening occurence, such as her mom's death, Kaoru's death, her dad almost killing himself by excessive drinking, and especially the sound of roaring thunder could make her tear up. But seeing a friend like this for the first time since the funeral, no, a_ best _friend like this who had just experienced a huge loss destroyed her inside. She would never imagine Hikaru Hitachiin would turn to_ drinking _in order to handle his problems. She thought he'd be stronger than this. Plus, she thought that he'd let her help him get through this, that way there was no chance that he'd ever resort to something as horrible (not to mention as unhealthy) as this._

_"Hey! I've been through enough these last few weeks and I don't need any of your crap, Haruhi! So just leave me the hell alone!" He shot a menacing glare right at her, pulling a full bottle out from underneath the pillow and pointing it at her before ripping off the cap and downing most of it._

_Haruhi realized what a delicate situation this was and didn't want to be too hard on poor Hikaru, but she needed to be forceful to a point. She resisted the urge to let her tears fall. Acting swiftly, she went back over to the futon and snatched the bottle right out of Hikaru's hand before he could consume every last drop._

_"What the hell was that for, Haruhi? Give it back!" he snapped at her, flailing his arms about to get the bottle back from her as she lifted it as high as she could. In his drunken state of mind, he obviously didn't think to get up off the bed to obtain it._

_"No, Hikaru! Don't you realize how dangerous this is for you? I understand the sorrow you must be feeling right now, but-"_

"Undestand?" _he cut her off, clenching his teeth. "How in hell could_ you _understand my pain?" He shot up right off the bed and towered over her. Though Haruhi was feeling absolutely terrified of him right now, she tried her best to keep her composure, though she couldn't help but slightly tremble in fear. "Kaoru is gone, Haruhi!_ Gone!" _The former twin was now beginning to tear up as well at the sound of his late brother's name. "What's the point of anything anymore? We did everything together! As long as he was by my side, I always knew that everything would be okay no matter what! We didn't need anyone else! Everything was perfectly fine until that dumbass showed up and convinced us to join his stupid little occult! Kaoru would still be here if it weren't for that retard and his retarded club! If he and those other bastards care, the next time you see them, tell them that I said that I hope all those stupid-"_

_Just like that morning in Karuizawa, Hikaru was shocked when Haruhi's hand made contact with his cheek. He shut up instantly._

_"That's enough!" Haruhi began panting heavily after smacking him. "Again, Hikaru, like I and everyone else keep trying to tell you, I couldn't be sorrier for your loss, but we just want you to be happy again! We realize how close you and Kaoru were, but no one can do anything about it! We all want him back, maybe not as badly as you do because you were his twin and you guys had a special bond, but we still do!" Hikaru didn't turn back to face Haruhi. He just stayed still and looked away from her, but she continued anyway. "And of course I understand your pain. It was horrible when I lost my mom and it'll never go away. The pain of losing a loved one...it's...inexplicable. I understand that much and you know I do._

_"But I'm begging you, don't you dare put the blame of all this on Tamaki-sempai and the others! They all love and care about us deeply, even Kyoya-sempai! Even though he doesn't show it, he does have a heart and he does genuinely care about all of our well-being! And Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai...they couldn't love and care more about us even if they tried! They could and will protect us whenever we need them! I know they would've been there in a heartbeat to save Kaoru had they known. And Tamaki-sempai...seriously, there's no one on this planet with a bigger heart than his. Once you get past his egotistical exterior, you know he cares for everyone and anyone. He reached out to you guys because he thought the host club we be good for you guys, and it has been! You guys had opened up and became happier since! He's definitely not to blame for what happened to your brother._

_"And I can't say I know for sure what Kaoru would want for you to do now, but if he was as loving of a brother as I'm sure he was, this is far from what he'd want you to do! He would be hurt to see you turning to alcohol of all things! He would blame himself for sure if he saw you doing this because of his death! I promise you, there are much better ways to alleviate your sorrow and to enjoy life again! I'll help you myself if I need to, and only if you'll let me. Please..."_

_Haruhi soon found herself reduced to tears, falling into Hikaru's bare chest. He still refused to look at her for a moment, but he then turned forward and frowned down at the sobbing girl._

_An evil-looking grin then came upon his face. Haruhi unfortunately was still crying and obviously didn't look up to see his face. Had she, she would've known right away that trouble would be on its way._

_"So you'll help satisfy my needs, will you Haruhi?" he asked her mischievously. Haruhi's tears subsided, but she didn't hear the tone in Hikaru's voice._

_"Of course, Hikaru, anything. Anything that isn't alcohol. There's nothing worse than that."_

"Nothing _is worse, you say?" He began lightly cackling, which struck Haruhi as odd, but she figured he was still somewhat drunk and out of it. The stress must have been getting to him._

_"Yeah, I guess-ah!" Haruhi soon found a pair of arms quickly gripping her own and slamming her right onto her dad's futon. "Ow, what the hell are you do...oh God...no...Hikaru..." Hikaru wasted no time lunging himself right on top of her, keeping her trapped right underneath him. She knew right away that there were no physical means of escaping. He had her trapped, and any frightening situation she had ever been in before in her life was out the window as of this particular moment._

_"Heh heh, prepare to help me, Haruhi. This will definitely be healthier and more satisfying for me than your dad's cheap beer," Hikaru said, smirking down at her, looking too pleased with how the situation was going._

_It was surely intimidating to Haruhi, having a drunk best friend (without his shirt on) trapping her underneath his body. It was a similar situation (and position) to what Kyoya pretended to almost do to her that one night in order to teach her a lesson, but she was sure that this time, the bad guy wouldn't hold back, especially considering he was drunk, and that there was no lesson for her out of this, other than to flee the next time one of your friends becomes drunk._

_"Hikaru, think about what you're doing before you do something that you'll regret!" she begged him, her voice shaking as she began choking on her oncoming sobs. The tears returned, but this time, Haruhi was far more fearful than sad. She felt how much she was sweatting underneath her uniform out of fear. If Hikaru wasn't so strong and was pinning her down so hard, she would've tried flailing her limbs in defense, but there was no chance of getting out of this physically. "Think about what Kaoru would-"_

_"Enough about my dead, never-coming-back brother right now, my dear." Hikaru put his right index figer to her lips as he started to lose his balance, but he managed and kept her pinned down. Her distressed expression had no absolutely no effect on him, which it would've usually. "It's not about him right now. Right now, it's just you, me, and ridding me of my sorrow," he said in a tone that was mixed with seduction and menace as he chuckled._

_"Hikaru, no..." were the last words that Haruhi choked out in almost a whisper before she began sobbing for real once Hikaru yanked off her tie and started sucking on her neck, which was only the beginning..._

* * *

That life-scarring event took place about two months ago. Since then, not much had changed from what was now the usual for Haruhi and the rest of the host club. A couple weeks after the funeral, she and the other hosts went on with their regular lives and continued their club activites as they usually would, though Kyoya was far from content with the loss of profits that the twins used to bring in. None of them had heard from Hikaru since the funeral (besides Haruhi, though she was able to keep it a secret from everyone, including Ranka), but Kyoya decided to let it go. While he was concerned for Hikaru, he stayed professional and didn't show it.

Honey and Mori continuously feel guilty for not being able to save Kaoru from his demise. Honey would not try to conceal his tears, but Mori, though far from happy, kept his stoic disposition anyway. Following Kyoya's advice, they tried not to let their guilt consume them and kept their regulars entertained. It was their last term at Ouran, so they had to try to make it a good one for their usual guests considering, but it was a struggle, no doubt.

Tamaki was still the king and acted so, but it was obvious that he didn't enjoy hosting as much anymore. He _never _had anything to go balistic over anymore now that the two 'dopplegangers' were pretty much gone for good. He even stopped referring to everyone as his 'wife' or 'daughter' or whatever other family names he used to use with them; he barely even fawned over Haruhi anymore. For the most part, it just seemed like everyone was forcing themselves to continue with their host club activites and enjoy them. Their customers were well aware of it, but everyone seemed to mutually (though unknowningly) agree to just act as they would've if Kaoru was still with them.

But out of everyone, Haruhi was obviously the most out of it. Since her little encounter with Hikaru, she was even more miserable than she was just after Kaoru's death, and anyone could tell. She almost never even attempted to smile anymore, and why would she? People, including her dad, her customers, and fellow hosts (who all tried to be happy again) would obviously ask something else was wrong (besides the recent tragedy) and she'd just say that she was fine or do whatever she could in her power to just avoid the question. Either way, she couldn't fine herself cheering up. Despite that though, she figured that while it'd be hard, she believed that time would definitely heal all wounds; and she surely believed that everyone else would eventually get over the fact that Hikaru was gone for good and that they continue on with their lives for real some day with real smiles on their faces. She also hoped that she could get over being...raped, and forget it ever happened.

That was very unlikely, because two months later, Haruhi and Ranka found themselves in a doctor's office, a gynecologist's to be exact.

"Dad, what are we going to do?" Haruhi asked him tearfully as she was sitting impatiently and twiddling her thumbs, waiting for her doctor to show up. Since two months ago, she would easily find herself crying to sleep practically every night and having nightmares about that day. Along with that, she also found herself getting worked up over little things, but she just figured that it would be normal considering all the stuff that had happened to her recently. "I can't go through with this! I and everyone else are supposed to be trying to get back to our lives and this might ruin everything!"

"I know, Haruhi, and I'm still very sorry I allowed him to do that to you," Ranka said, trying his best to look Haruhi in the eye, but he felt very guilty.

He remembered that day well; Hikaru randomly showed up at their doorstep looking pretty okay and asked if Haruhi was home yet. Ranka said she wasn't but that he could stay and wait for her. He then had to leave for another shift and figured that Hikaru was able to be left alone. He wouldn't have ever guessed that he couldn't have been more wrong. Most would imagine that he'd go on a rampage and be ready to murder any guy who would do such a thing to his daughter, but Haruhi calmed him down and once he realized Hikaru's situation, took pity on him.

"I know that everything will be okay. Just call it a father's instinct."

He tried giving her a small smile, and for the first time in months, she was able to somewhat return it.

"I hope so. I'm just praying right now that the one test I took was just wrong and that my nausea has just been from stress." Just as Haruhi was about to continue speaking, her doctor finally came in. Haruhi politely asked Ranka to leave so they could be alone. He understood completely and walked out in silence, still smiling warmly at her. Haruhi was now too nervous to even pretend to look happy, but she did try for her dad.

The doctor quickly asked Haruhi some basic questions before asking her to lie down. As the doctor asked her, Haruhi's mind was racing. She was more than aware of the likely possibility, but she didn't want to think so at all. Her and Hikaru's lives were pretty much laid out at this point, but now, that could all be gone because of one stupid thing Hikaru did. Either way, at this point, both of their lives were definitely changed for good no matter what, but the question was how drastically. Haruhi was about to find out.

_'Mom, I'm sorry that I allowed this to happen, but I hope both you and Kaoru won't be too disappointed in Hikaru for what he did and have faith in us,' _Haruhi thought as she lifted her shirt and felt the gel against her skin. She flinched, but settled down quickly as her doctor pressed the wand against her stomach. The two of them looked at the monitor to search for what they thought might be there.

_'Please God, have mercy on me. More importantly, have mercy on Hikaru. I know he made a mistake, but hasn't he of all people gone through enough?'_ Haruhi had her eyes shut tight as she felt the wand move along her skin. She refused to let the waterworks come out anymore.

"And there it is; right there is a heartbeat." At the doctor's words, Haruhi's heart dropped and her eyes shot right open at the monitor.

She was speechless the second she saw it...'it' being none other than her and Hikaru's unborn child...conceived through unintentional rape.

"Oh my God..." she said quietly, covering her mouth with one hand. Like that day, she struggled to choke back her sobs and keep her tears from falling.

The cheap test was right after all. She had no idea what to think right now. While she dreaded this possibility becoming a reality, she couldn't find herself as upset as she expected. Just completely blown away. It was official: her life and Hikaru's were definitely changed for good, and _very _drastically for that matter.

"I know, there must be a lot going through your mind right now," Takanura said, smiling at her, then looking back at the monitor. Obviously, she wasn't completely aware of the circumstances of how this all happened. She kept moving the wand around to get a better examination. Haruhi didn't say a word; this was all still too much for her mind to absorb at the moment. "Let's see, there's a hand right there, and what would become it's chest, and it's head, and...oh my."

That remark got Haruhi right out of her daze.

"What? What's wrong?" Haruhi asked frantically, looking back from the doctor to the monitor. Takanura definitely looked surprised, but serious at the same time, her expression not faltering a bit. "Is the baby al-"

Haruhi saw what Takanura was looking at. She was about to tell Haruhi, but she could tell that Haruhi clearly saw what it was herself: another head.

Just like she had been doing every night the past two months, Haruhi couldn't be strong enough to hold it all in and she began crying softly as she looked at the monitor in a mix of shock and fear, the blown away feeling fading at this point now that it pretty much sunk into her head. The room was silent for a while. Takanura looked at her worriedly while she held her mouth with both hands as she sobbed. Her hands didn't move from her face that whole time, but they eventually found their way to her stomach.

_'Oh my God. Hikaru...I'm so sorry...I'm sorry that this is happening. I know this is too much for you to handle and I promise that everything will be alright. I'm sorry...'_


	2. Fall to Pieces

(A/N: Hey people! Okay, I really hope you guys liked the first chapter! I'm only recently a HikaHaru fan, formerly a TamaHaru FANATIC. Maybe it's my recent Todd Haberkorn bias at work, but whatevs. I REALLY wanted to write this and this is both my first fic in about seven months and my first drama-filled one. I'm usually one to do comedic stuff, so I hope this is good! I'll now stop so you can read on. Enjoy! I promise things get happier. And to clear up a few things that might seem confusing now, there will be some flashbacks throughout the story. I'm sorry that the cause of Kaoru's death won't be revealed for who knows how long. Sorry!

And this will be the ONE AND ONLY time I will say this: reviews are highly appreciated and I was so happy to get some for the first chappie! And also tell me if this chapter seems too long. I feel like I went overboard, but I had so much I wanted in this chapter!)

* * *

Hikaru Hitachiin never had a typical social life, obviously. It was always just him and Kaoru. They clung to each other and didn't see the need to include anyone else in their own world, especially since they viewed all other people as imbecilic and inferior compared to them. Everyone else around them knew how they felt and kept their distance, even their own parents, who for whatever reason never thought of their seclusion to be unusual, unhealthy, bad for their development, or flat out wrong. Sure, the host club allowed them open up more and begin interacting with other kids, but they always had their own special, unbroken bond. They swore they wouldn't get closer to _anyone_ else. And when they were little, they also swore that they would _never, ever_ date, get married, or have kids. They swore that the bond would _never_ unravel.

The ropes, not by a lot, but very slightly unravled upon the twins' discovery of a certain girl (disguised as a boy for the majority of the time) named Haruhi Fujioka.

Yes, it was monumentous to them that she became the first person to know them well enough to tell them apart, but for Hikaru, there was much more than that. Though they and Tamaki always bugged the hell out of her (and Honey even on the occasion, but no one would dare tell him that and it wasn't ever intentional on his part), though Kyoya bagged on her and raised her debt for no reason sometimes even, she would always care for them and stick by them no matter what. She always forgave them and swore to never leave. She was also the kind of person who wasn't afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believed was right. She had her own goals and strived to reach them at any cost. And while anyone would consider it kind of shallow, she looked pretty cute in some of her girlier outfits and costumes, some forced onto her by the twins themselves.

Hikaru wasn't sure which of those things drew him to her the most, but neither he nor Kaoru could deny it any longer: he was in love. He would not hesitate to eliminate anyone in his way for her affection (even Tamaki, who was still oblivious about his own feelings), and this had the potential to break that bond.

Unfortunately for them, love isn't something you can just toss into a drawer as something to forget about. Hikaru couldn't rid himself of these feelings. For some time, he tried, but eventually gave up the fight. They both knew the consequences, but Kaoru loved Hikaru even to cut the ropes for good when it was time. He knew that it'd all turn back into a pumpkin some day, and he hadn't a clue what he'd do with himself once Hikaru would give himself to her. But to Kaoru, any time was fine with him, but his brother never found himself ready to do anything. Only God knew when and _if_ anything would ever happen.

Something certainly did, and to Hikaru, it seemed like the ropes were now severed, but it was neither twin's doing. It was all cruel fate. Kaoru wouldn't have to worry about what he would do anymore, because he wouldn't be able to now even if he knew what he'd do without his twin.

Hikaru woke up groggily that morning, about three months since the funeral. He was excused from attending school for those entire three months, which seemed like a long time, but it was approved by Chairman Yuzuru Suoh himself. Now the time was up, and for the first time in his life, he'd have to march down the long halls of Ouran alone.

_'Ugh, there's never been a first day of school that I've ever dreaded the coming of so much before,'_ he thought to himself as he got out of what was now his own bed and prepared for the day. It felt somewhat weird to be wearing the Ouran uniform after so long.

He wasn't looking forward to people going up to him to tell him how sorry they are. People in general annoyed him already, so the last thing he wanted was them giving him unwanted pity. He knew it'd be hard, but he was no longer in denial and knew what Kaoru would wish for him to do. That's all he wanted to do at this point. He knew all the things and people he had that would help him and bring joy back into his life again: his friends and of course, Haruhi. Even though he'd no longer have his brother's help, he knew that if he tried hard enough, he could win her over. She would never be able to replace Kaoru, but Hikaru knew that she'd easily fill up the empty spaces both by his side and in his heart. She was all he felt he needed in order to go on with life...

_'Oh! I almost forgot! Just in case...'_ he thought just as he was about to head out of his _own_ bedroom.

Hikaru had opened the door, but immediately halted. He then shut it quickly before any of his family's staff could see him looking somewhat hopeful for the first time in months. He quietly walked back over to his bed and pulled out a full water bottle out from underneath his pillow. Though he felt almost guilty about it after staring at the cleverly disguised menancing object in his hands for a few seconds, he sighed and put it into his backpack before heading out the door for real this time.

_'I'm sorry, Kaoru, but if Haruhi can't save me for some reason, vodka and releasing my own pain myself always will. And it's better than just killing myself, right?' _

Hikaru wanted to believe so, but either way, there was a little something inside him that sounded like her brother that was telling him to get real. Regardless of that, he actually found himself able to ignore it and look towards the future somewhat optimistically.

* * *

Haruhi didn't wake up that morning nearly as hopeful for the future as Hikaru had. After her appointment that day, she and Ranka drove home without a word and she cried into his chest more than she has ever cried before in her entire life once they got home, and it was probably more than just because of her recent moodiness. Ranka knew it obviously wasn't her fault and assured her that he'd support whatever decision she would make, though he swore he'd pound Hikaru's head in the next time he saw him (which Haruhi didn't approve of, but didn't say anything). Though it killed him inside, Ranka had to take a shift and wouldn't be back until after Haruhi would be asleep, but she claimed that she'd be fine and let him go. She went into her room and cried all alone into her pillow, but she kept in mind that she should lie on her back or side for the next several months, considering.

Once she awoke that morning, she very briefly forgot all that was happening in her life after only three months and thought it was just another normal day before all of this happened. Then it all came crashing down on her once she caught a glimpse of the ultrasound pictures she had lying on her nightstand. She had cried herself out the previous day, but she looked at them sadly as she picked them up and examined them while still lying on her bed. Two developing akachans could be easily pointed out in the the one she was looking at.

_'I love you two. I hope you realize whatever I decide, it will be out of love and because it's what is the best thing for you.' _

Since that horrific day she was raped, neither she nor anyone else heard of anything from Hikaru, but she didn't dare tell any of the other hosts about their little encounter. They all stopped attempting to contact him soon after. After a week, she noticed how she felt sick and the need to puke at the most random times of the day, but thankfully she never puked during school or host club hours. She and everyone else noticed how she would randomly burst into tears at the tiniest things, but they all figured that considering the recent death, it wasn't that unusual to happen ("Especially to such a delicate beauty," added Tamaki, which earned him a glare from her). She noticed that she wasn't even getting her period, though she had a feeling that it had always been irregular anyway. The other thing was that Haruhi's breasts were becoming more...noticeable, which worried her about keeping her secret, but it wasn't too noticeable and she figured it was just puberty.

No one suspected anything or said a word about anything until one day when Haruhi heard from one of her regulars about a girl in their grade that was rumored to be pregnant (which obviously ended up being completely untrue), which quickly lit a lightbulb in Haruhi's head. Not only that, but realizing that it wasn't too far-fetched, she almost wanted to cry at the thought; she was not prepared for it to be true, because she knew she was certainly not ready to be having kids, especially being only a first year who just turned sixteen and was lower-middle class. As much as she wanted to deny it, she realized that it could be a possibility and that the best thing would be to confirm it right away if it were to be true.

Right after club activities that day, she hurried over to the nearest general store and bought a test, though the cashier did give her a weird look, considering it was unusual for a guy to be purchasing one. She went right into the store's bathroom and took it. As she stood in the bathroom waiting and paced every now and then, she tried to reassure herself that it wasn't true and that it was all just coincidence. It was only her first time after all, so what were the odds? Once she saw the result, she just dropped it into the sink, the '+' staring right at her.

She felt as if she couldn't breathe at that moment. She prayed that it was a fluke, but the only way to find out for sure was to go to a professional. But in order to do that, she'd have to come clean with Ranka. He was not aware of what happened between her and Hikaru. (Haruhi cleaned up the mess and called one of Hikaru's family limos to pick him up before Ranka got home that day, though she had to convince Ranka that someone obviously broke in and stole some of their furniture and beer when she and Hikaru were supposedly busy talking in her room.) He was upset that she lied, but obviously didn't blame Haruhi at all for what happened and took her to the gynecologist the week after. Before they even got a result, Haruhi knew to just expect the worst: that she would be, well, expecting. She wasn't surprised at all once her doctor found the one baby during the ultrasound.

Then she and the doctor saw a second baby. That was something she wasn't expecting or the least bit prepared for.

When she was home alone that night in her room with Ranka gone, she contemplated the three obvious options. Abortion was way out of the question. She knew it was the easiest way out and that way, it would really be as if nothing ever happened, but she'd never be able to live the rest of her life without the guilt. Plus, what if Hikaru somehow found out one day? She didn't have any idea how he would react, but she would never want to hurt him by intentionally killing his own children.

That made her think about him, which was painful to do anymore if at all. He probably had no memory of what he even did, considering he was so drunk, which would make explaining her 'condition' to him that much harder, should she ever. She realized that she might never even see him again since he still had yet to contact anyone for months (besides the whole incident) and that he'd have no involvement in their children's lives, let alone ever know about their existence. That made the option of keeping them less desirable. Plus, she wasn't even sure if she and her dad could afford it. He already struggled to make enough for the two of them to live comfortably, so adding more mouths to feed wouldn't help. She wouldn't be able to finish schooling and she'd never be able to become a lawyer like she always dreamt of. And what if they asked one day about their father? "Oh, well you guys were conceived when he was drunk and raped me, then he disappeared forever, so he probably doesn't even know you exist." Yeah, she could see that going over well.

That made adoption seem like the best option at the moment. She knew she could live with herself if they were raised by a couple that would love them just as much as she does now. The only problem was that, like any human being with a heart, she'd miss them terribly and might not be able to let them go after they're born, but she knew she couldn't be selfish and that their needs come first. She was torn between the last two options and decided she had time to think about it just as she fell asleep.

After a moment of looking at the pictures, she finally got out of bed and immediately put one of them into her backpack before she started getting ready for the day, not for any particular reason, but just because. As she stripped and was about to put on her uniform, she could clearly see in the mirror that not only had her breast size increased, but there was definitely a small bump where her flat stomach used to be. She sighed as she looked in the mirror and slowly caressed it.

_'My jacket would cover it for now, but with twins, it's only a matter of maybe two months before it'll be obvious and I'll have to just tell everyone. And not just that, but my gender will definitely be revealed as well. At least I still have some time.'_ With that in mind, Haruhi finished dressing and was out the door after eating, and that wasn't exactly quick, since she decided to now make an effort to eat healthily for the three of them.

Once she arrived at school, everything seemed pretty normal as she walked through the halls to get to her homeroom. Once there, she sat in the back as usual and took out a book to study from as she waited for class to start while other (damn rich) people just hung out. When the first class of the day started, Haruhi tried her best to focus, but this was one of those _very_ rare times when she couldn't, though like that would really be a shock.

She looked down at her twiddling thumbs. She was so absorbed in her thoughts of her unborn twins, she didn't even notice a certain redhead entering the room, obviously late, or the collective gasps coming from her classmates.

Hikaru Hitachiin showing up at school for the very first time alone, without his now dead twin, was a notable event. No one had any clue what had become of him or if he would even come back. People did talk about it, but everyone expected not to see him for a good amount of time (even longer than the three months he did take). And now here he was. He didn't necessarily look joyful or anything, but he seemed somewhat content to be back. It still seemed weird to see him without Kaoru for the first time ever, but that's just how it would be from now on. No Hikaru and Kaoru, no Hitachiin twins, no Hitachiin brothers. From now on, it would just be Hikaru Hitachiin. Kind of a depressing thought, but what could be done? Life had to go on.

Hikaru realized that's how it'd be from now on, and he was learning to just accept that. He expected people to be surprised, but he of all people knew better than to care about people's opinions. A more stern look came upon his face as he kept scanning the classroom, looking at everyone's different reactions.

_'Remember, Hikaru, everything will be fine. Haruhi's even here! It'll be alright, it'll be alright,' _he kept mentally reminding himself. He couldn't help but smile once he saw Haruhi sitting in her usual desk, his being on the left of it right next to the window. But his smile disappeared once he realized she wasn't even looking at him. She looked almost distressed. _'Don't worry about it right now. You'll catch up on everything eventually. She's probably just concerned about you. That has to be it!'_

Had Hikaru known what was really going on in her head (or body in general), he'd probably begin freaking out, passed out, screaming in terror, who really knows? But ultimately, he would be shocked. He had no memory of raping her or even seeing her that day. He just remembered waiting for her after Ranka left because he wanted to see her after a month. Hey, he loves her, of couse he'd miss her of all people! But being the Hitachiin he is, it didn't take long for him to get bored during his time off.

Getting hungry, he had begun going through the fridge and cabinets. Obviously, he found nothing that suited his 'damn rich person' taste. Then he came across something of interest: Ranka's alcohol cabinet. He knew how it apparently made depressed people feel good, like in all the movies and TV shows. That was it. Though a bit hesitant, he was quickly taken. He definitely thought it worked, but after downing about four bottles, the next thing he remembered was waking up in his own bed with what he figured was a hangover, and that was enough to convince him to never binge again, but he had still made a discovery in alcohol. I did make him feel good and forget about how much he hated life, even for the shortest time. Nothing bad about what he had been doing the two months after this discovery ever occurred to him, if he actually cared that much.

His only regret about that day was not seeing Haruhi. But he was happy now. Besides Kaoru's permanent absence, things would be fine and almost completely back to normal. Obviously though, he couldn't be more wrong about the 'almost normal' part.

After catching up on his work with the teacher, he went into his seat and class resumed. He looked over thoughtfully at Haruhi, who still hadn't turned to look his way.

_'Typical Haruhi, always focusing on school, never thinking of anything else. At least she seems fine and back to normal,'_ he thought, which made him happy to think that some things hadn't changed. Twice in one day, he couldn't be more wrong.

The first half of the day seemed to drag on forever and Haruhi still couldn't focus, unbeknown to Hikaru, who had never truly been in the dark about anything before. (That was usually Tamaki's job anyway.). Just as their last class before lunch ended and everyone left the room, Hikaru stayed behind to wait for Haruhi, who still hadn't even realized he had been sitting next to her for the last several hours. He surely loved it once everyone else had left the room; just him in Haruhi in the classroom, alone, where she would usually eat, and where he decided he'd eat from now on. He noticed her digging through her bag and then taking out a small piece of paper. He could see her coming close to smiling as she gazed at it. He stopped what he was doing and raised an eyebrow curiously. This got his attention. He quietly crept behind her to try and get a good look. Obviously, not quietly enough.

"Hey!" she snapped, scaring the hell out of him and making him jump back a bit, a completely freaked-out look appearing on her face. She then quickly slammed the picture face-down on her desk. The last thing she wanted right now was for someone to see her ultrasound picture. She knew that whoever would see it would question her.

_'Okay, sneaking around her wasn't very smart,'_ Hikaru thought as he began sweatting to death, backing away slightly as they stared intently at each other, but he cooled down pretty quickly, getting over the scare and realizing that they were talking to each other for the first time in forever. Not exactly the thing to be focusing on at the moment, Hikaru.

"What's the big deal? Shouldn't you-" Her mouth dropped all the way down to the floor once she saw who it was. "H-Hikaru? What're you do-ah!" At the sound of his name, he immediately perked up, a wide grin appearing on his face, and went back over to her to embrace her tightly, practically lifting her out of her seat.

"Haruhi! I missed you so much," he began, never sounding more sincere in his life, Haruhi noticed. She just stood there, still just in shock that here he was, as it sounded like he began to choke up. She couldn't explain it, but something felt good, almost right about him embracing her like this, but she couldn't bring herself to hug him back. "I'm so sorry I haven't made any contact with you since the funeral. It's been really hard these last few months, but I've been getting through alright! I just hope that you and everyone else are alright and that things can go back to being as normal as possible, okay?"

That was it, he was, despite still smiling, tearing up, and it almost broke Haruhi's heart. Things would never be the same again, but she decided now wouldn't be the time to break the news to him. She was shocked that he actually came back. Happy, but definitely shocked, since she was close to convincing herself that she'd never see him again. And somewhere deep down, she was still kind of scared that he could possibly rape her again, but he seemed sober right now. And while he seemed okay overall, this was all still a very delicate situation, so it couldn't hurt to be gentle.

"Hikaru, I-" Before Haruhi could finish, that familiar feeling of nausea came to her_._ Her eyes widened in fear._ 'No. Please, not now. Please!_' But it couldn't be help. She held her hands over her mouth as Hikaru let go, noticing the ill look on her face.

"Haruhi, are you okay?" he asked with a concerned look on his face, slightly backing away again.

"Don't worry, Hikaru, I'm-oh God!" She couldn't hold it in any longer.

Ignoring Hikaru's cries for her, she quickly bolted out of the room and headed to the nearest bathroom. Hikaru, not expecting that _at all_, was about to race after her, but decided against it. Knowing the she'd have to come back, he didn't bother chasing after her, but instead took the opportunity to look at her ultrasound picture, just to know what it was that held her interest so much. After staring intently at it for a moment, he understood, or at least he thought he understood, and then came up with what he figured was a great idea to make her happy.

_'I don't get what's so great about this painting, but I could totally get her the real thing if she really wants!'_

* * *

Once Haruhi finished disposing of her breakfast, she put the toilet seat down, wiped her face, and fell to the floor, in tears once again as she leaned against the stall's wall.

_'What's happened to me? I've never been so weak before in my life, and now all this. Oh no...' _She stopped crying for a second as she saw a pair of feet walk to the stall she was sitting in and stop right in front of the door. She practically yelped once she saw them forcing the door open and succeeding. Kind of scary to her. _'Oh geez, what's this guy's...' _

"...Kyoya-sempai?" Not as shocking as just seeing Hikaru for the first time in months, but seeing him looking down at her with the grim expression he had on was a close second. It struck her odd to also see a hint of concern in his facial expression as well.

"Haruhi, is there something going on? Something you'd like to talk about?" he asked her as he looked down at her in her pathetic-looking state, sounding genuinely concerned. For once, he didn't give her an evil, I'm-scheming-something-that-involves-using-you-for-my-own-personal-gain smirk after asking that. He actually sounded like he cared about her well-being. "Believe it or not, I do care about our club members' well-being and I know something isn't right with you. The gynecologist I know you recently went to works for my family, you know."

_'Of course...'_ she thought as he helped her up and wiped a bit of vomit off her face, mentally slapping herself for not realizing that possibility. _'Just like Kyoya-sempai to figure everything out before anyone else.'_


	3. Under My Skin

(A/N: I hope Kyoya doesn't seem TOO OOC, but I tried to give him the heart we all know he has. And I'm sorry if anyone was waiting for this! It was _very_ unusual of me to update as quickly as I did with the last chapter. I didn't like this chapter too much for some reason, even though a certain couple of people find out a certain couple of things, but I hope you guys are fine with it!

Oh yeah, guess what? I don't own _Ouran_! :( Which def sucks.)

* * *

The walk to the empty club room was uncomfortable for Haruhi, obviously. She and Kyoya stayed silent the entire time and didn't look straight at each other once. She couldn't help but wonder just how much he could've known.

_'Dammit. I didn't plan on telling anyone until it was obvious,' _she thought as they kept on walking. _'I know that once Tamaki-sempai finds out, he'll first go balistic and demand to know who the father is so he can join my dad in pulverizing him, then will get all depressed. Honey-sempai will probably be excited, since he probably wouldn't see any of this as a bad thing at all. Mori-sempai will probably be disappointed, but he's pretty understanding. But Kyoya-sempai...if he knows now, I have no clue what he thinks. He'd probably be upset because we both know I might not be able to participate in the club anymore in about a few months and we'll lose even more clients. But come on, this isn't exactly a situation in which profits are the main priority, so maybe he won't be too upset. I just have to explain that _none of it_ was even my fault. _

_But now Hikaru's back...I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do about him. He seems perfectly fine (which I didn't expect, considering it hasn't been _that _long since Kaoru's death) and apparently doesn't remember our little "incident" at all. Would he even believe me if I told him? Would he take responsibility? Hey, if I go with adoption, then no one will have to worry about _that_, but still. And what if he's still drinking? Then he's just gonna be in even more trouble and someone could get seriously hurt again. Ugh, I'm getting a headache. This is all too much.'_

"Sit down, Haruhi," Kyoya ordered once they were in the empty club room. She obediently sat down across from him at his usual table where he had his laptop. "Tell me _everything_, _now_, but I do happen to be well aware of your condition, _and_ the fact that it's twins." He slanted his eyes at her.

_'Oh crap.'_

"I would just like to know what exactly happened and discuss how you plan on handling this, since it will obviously affect your club involvement in a couple months." He sat down right in front of her looking more serious than ever, his laptop fired up. Typical Kyoya, ready to get down everything she'd say to him about her little 'dilemma'. Haruhi just sweatdropped, then sighed.

"Fine, Kyoya-sempai, you see...about two months ago, there was this guy that broke into my house and he was clearly drunk," she started, trying to keep her composure and not rat out Hikaru just yet, still feeling some pity for him. _'Only God knows what Kyoya-sempai would think if I told him it was Hikaru!'_ Sure enough, he was typing down every word that came out of her mouth, not taking his eyes off the screen once. "He pretty much wrecked my apartment and I eventually found him in my dad's room, where he...raped me." At those last two words, Kyoya briefly stopped, then continued, obviously somewhat phased by those words. "So yeah, I guess we both know that result of that incident...but I have already decided that abortion is out of the question, but I haven't completely decided yet if I'm keeping them or giving them up for adoption. I'm sorry. I know that this will easily reveal my gender and that I won't be able to be part of the host club anymore, but my decision is final and I'm willing find another way to pay you guys back."

"I see," he mumbled very quietly. He himself was getting a headache as well. Though he knew Haruhi wasn't judgmental and that it was only the two of them in the room, he didn't want to seem too taken aback by the whole situation.

Kyoya Ootori was used to handling sticky situations being thrown at him when it came to this insane club. He never expected it when his best friend first started it, but he's gotten used to it by now, and he knew that this ability would come in handy in the future, should his own wish come true and he becomes his father's heir like he strives to be. He never expected that part of his job would include keeping the true identity of one of the club's members a secret from the rest of the school, and not once did it ever occur to him that something like _this_ would happen! But alas. And he knew he'd have to be involved.

"Is there anyone else who knows at this moment in time?"

"Only my dad, but who knows if there's anyone else. I never suspected you or anyone else would catch on so quickly." He quietly chuckled at her comment.

"Really, Haruhi? You think _I _of all people wouldn't know? Come on, now. You know my family works in the medical field, and that I keep tabs on all of our club members. And that does include health records." She sweatdropped again.

"Yeah, yeah, don't brag about it or anything. But I'm kinda scared that Hikaru might've found out." Once again, Kyoya briefly stopped, then quickly resumed. _That _he also didn't expect, but it was the deeper truth that had yet to occur to him.

"Why do you say that? Have you guys been communicating behind all our backs?" Haruhi glared at him for making that statement, but his eyes were once again glued to his laptop's screen.

"No!" _'Okay, that was somewhat a lie, but I'm not bringing up the incident right now, and that answer is true otherwise.' "_He came back today and he seems surprisingly better."

"Oh yes. His three months are up today. I'll have to scope him out after this before lunch ends so we can sort out his schedule just in case anything's changed." Haruhi couldn't believe how casual Kyoya was about all of this. I mean 1) Kaoru just DIED only a few months ago, 2) she was pregnant, and 3) Hikaru went completely AWOL and is back today. Even if he is desperate to keep his cool in literally any situation, he could act a teensy bit more emotional than usual, and maybe actually look at her since they're talking to each other... "But anyway, how would he know then?"

"Near the end of our last class, I was looking at one of my pictures from the ultrasound I had yesterday and I left it out in the open when I rushed to the bathroom a few minutes ago. He was curious to see what it was, so he might've looked at it..." _'Dammit! I hope he hadn't looked at it! Maybe if I'm lucky, he didn't realize what it was. And I bet if he did, he would have already come chasing after me demanding some answers. Oh, who knows?' _"Anyway, that's kinda all I have to say on the subject, other than I'm terrified and I don't know what I'm gonna do since both my 'condition' and true gender will probably become obvious soon enough. And there are of course a billion things I have to think about within the next seven months before it's too late..."

For the first time during this little convo, Kyoya _really_ stopped typing and looked up from his laptop to see the sad expression on Haruhi's face. He was surprised that it kinda killed him a little on the inside to see her like this. Though none of it was her fault at all (and while he wouldn't verbalize it), he couldn't believe this would happen to Haruhi.

"Haruhi, you need to calm down. Try your best not to stress over all of this. And I swear on my behalf that I won't tell your secret to anyone without your permission," he said to her, sounding more sincere and caring than she's ever heard before. She certainly brightened up and felt almost compelled to thank him... "But of course, it's pretty obvious that our profits will go down once your gender is revealed and your customers might not come back, not to mention some others might feel weirded out that a girl has been a host the entire time, so I think I have the perfect solution." Haruhi's smile vanished quickly and was replaced by a look of slight irritation.

_'Okay, the sympathy card has now flown out the window. But what's he thinking, that maybe I'll be able to draw in guys and lesbians? Well, I guess that could work, but still...'_

"Should you decide to keep your twins after they're born, I think it would be very profitable if you were to bring them in during club hours. After all, don't all girls love to swoon over adorable little infants? And considering you're their mother, I know they'll be absolutely adorable." Scratch that, Haruhi's smile was replaced by a look of _major_ irritation. Kyoya smiled, thinking about how genius his idea was. "Plus, I've heard that men look even more attractive when taking care of-"

"That's more than enough, Kyoya-sempai. I'm outta here." It was now Kyoya's turn to sweatdrop as he watched Haruhi get up and head for the door. He certainly thought it was a pretty genius idea. "This club is already absurd enough. I myself would appreciate it if you didn't exploit my own children for it's own gain. Plus, we both know how protective and jealous Hikaru can be and how he would not stand to watch his own kids-"

Somewhere in a dark area, five brand new lightbulbs exist. The one second from the right has now turned on.

It took no time at all for both of their minds to register what just came out of Haruhi's mouth. She immediately froze in place after clamping her hands over her mouth. Kyoya's eyes widened to the point where they looked too big for the lenses of his glasses. After getting over the shock of what he just heard, he eyes contracted back to their original size and he shot up out of his seat, shooting a look of pure terror at Haruhi's back.

"_Haruhi_," he began, his tone dripping with a mix of impatience and anger. "Would you care to tell me the _entire_ truth about the father, this alleged drunk who broke into your home? As well as your communication with Hikaru after the funeral? I have a feeling those things are connected."

_'Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!'_ Though Haruhi felt more terrified than she had at any time within the last couple months, she knew that Kyoya's anger was obviously not directed towards her, but Hikaru.

"Okay, but just promise me you won't say anything and you'll take it easy on him the next time you see him," she whimpered, turning back around. "And in the event you decide not to, do you think that I could call my dad so I can be excused from school for the rest of the day after I tell you? I don't feel very good now..."

* * *

_'Dammit. What the hell happened to her? I missed her so much and we barely got a chance to talk,' _Hikaru thought just as his last class of the day was finishing up.

He waited in the classroom for her to return, but he eventually got impatient and left to check the cafeteria, where he still couldn't find her. He was definitely surprised to see that all her stuff mysteriously vanished into thin air once he returned. He pondered what the hell happened, but figured he'd just call her (phone buddies ftw!) or see her tomorrow. He was just happy he still had the picture of what he thought was some famous abstract painting she was mezmerized by. Oh poor, naive Hikaru...

_'Oh God, I wonder how much has changed _here _since I've been gone,' _he thought as he stood in front of the door to the 3rd Music Room, which had a piece of paper taped to it saying that it wouldn't be open to the public today and that there'd be a members only meeting. He hadn't seen the place in so long, and this would be the first time he'd open the door on his own. He kept pulling his hand back every time he tried to grab the handle and open the door.

_'Remember, it'll be okay. You can do this. Besides the fact that you'll have to deal with all your regulars alone from now on and there won't be anymore "forbidden brotherly love" for them to go wiggly over, everything will be exactly the same._' This counts as the third time that Hikaru's been wrong today. _'Hey! Once you win over Haruhi, I bet she wouldn't mind the two of you swooning over each other. It'll be perfect for yaoi fans to go nuts over, especially since everyone's gonna think she's a guy for pretty much ever!'_ Fourth. _'Come on, just go in! Everyone will be happy to see you after all this time. Alright, Kyoya-sempai might be a bit ticked off that he's lost a few bucks because of your absense, but other than that, he'll be ecstatic to see your too!' _And fifth.

Finally after all his meaningless stalling, he pushed the door open, happy not to see petals floating out the door for once when it wasn't even a guest entering. (That was always so corny.) However, he was tackled by two certain blondes the second he set foot through the door.

"HIKARU!"

"HIKA-CHAN!"

"WE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"

"Yeah, missed you guys too, now get offa me! You're just as annoying and air-headed as ever," he groaned as he lay there defenseless as Tamaki and Honey smothered him, though they quickly retracted and Tamaki went into his emo corner.

"Mommy! Hikaru was mean to me! Daddy was only trying to welcome him back with open arms," Tamaki cried as he grew mushrooms in his corner.

Kyoya noticed that Tamaki hadn't referred to either of them as Mommy and Daddy and as a family in a while until now. He seemed himself once again, now that Hikaru was back. Though for the first time, Kyoya made no comment to being called Mommy. Just hearing Hikaru's name only made him type more rapidly as he scowled at his laptop screen.

Haruhi told him _everything_, about the visit, the drinking, the trashed apartment, the raping, all of which just made Kyoya more and more furious. He knew how difficult dealing with all of this would be and that Hikaru wasn't exactly as smart in making choices as his late brother, but resorting to alcohol? And it certainly doesn't help that Haruhi now has to pay for his stupidity as well! But Kyoya has the ability to keep his cool no matter what, plus he promised Haruhi to give Hikaru a break. He just suffered through the most horrible tragedy of his life and he's not at all aware of what he did and what has become of it. Plus, he seemed perfectly sober, so they figured they won't have to worry about any drinking-related problems anymore.

Guess Hikaru's not the only person to be wrong today.

"Sorry Hika-chan, but we all missed you so much!" Honey exclaimed as he helped a disgruntled Hikaru up. "We were all worried about you, but everything's good now! We even brought extra special cake today 'cause we're so happy to see you're alright! Right Takashi?"

"Mmm," Mori said, behind Honey, keeping an eye on him as usual. "We are."

_'Well, nice to see no one's changed as of right now.' _"Thanks a lot you guys, I really appreciate it. But any of you know where Haruhi went? She disappeared just as lunch started."

"She was feeling nausous so she went home," Kyoya said quickly in one breath as he typed, obviously sounding agitated. Everyone (besides the emo-ish Tamaki) became slightly fearful.

_'Gee, I don't think my absense would make any huge dent into our profits.' _"Okay. But before I forget, I gotta show you guys this thing Haruhi was gazing at during class today!" As Hikaru began digging into his pockets, Tamaki immediatly got out of his emo-ish state and hurried over to Hikaru.

"What? Well, what is it? What could my darling daughter possibly be yearning for that she'd ignore her studies to admire it?" Tamaki asked, dramatically as usual. He, Honey, and Mori stared intently at Hikaru as he pulled out the ultrasound picture.

"THIS!" he said proudly as he waved it right in their faces. Tamaki and Honey just stared at in confusion. Kyoya has snuck over quietly and looked at it, somewhat shocked, but well aware of what it was.

The lightbulb on the far left has now turned on.

Now unlike the three most dim-witted host club members but like the smartest, Mori was an observant person _and_ he knew what a picture from a prenatal sonogram looked like. Overall, he was definitely shocked, far more than Kyoya since he wasn't the one Haruhi first revealed her secret to, but he had been observant of Haruhi's unusual behavior that's been going on for a while. While everyone was a bit emotional from the funeral, it was out of character for Haruhi to get teary at the absolute littlest things. And while no one thought of it as being unusual, Mori noticed Haruhi taking more of a liking to Italian and spicier foods than before. And though he felt somewhat dirty, he saw the changes in her physically. He was surprised that Tamaki didn't notice (and therefore go nuts over) Haruhi looking more feminine in certain areas.

Mori had his suspicions, but this picture just proved them correct: _'Haruhi's pregnant. With twins,' _he thought, but unlike Kyoya, he had natural instincts and could see the deeper meaning in anything and realize things without having to hear it directly from the person. _'They must be Hikaru's...all I don't know is how this could have happened, unless that alcoholic smell emmiting from him really is...and if he had seen Haruhi any time after the funeral...of course.' _Though no one else noticed, Mori could smell the stench of vodka, but he refrained from saying anything for right now. It all clicked now in his mind.

It now must be quite evident how much Mori's awareness, instincts, and overall intelligence are overlooked.

"I'm not totally sure, but I think it's supposed to be some famous abstract painting!" Hikaru said excitedly.

"Ah!" Tamaki and Honey exclaimed in realization. Kyoya and Mori made an effort to not say anything, but the stupidity was getting to them.

"Well, gentlemen," Tamaki began announcing, swiping the picture out of Hikaru's hand and holding it up proudly. "It appears this sort of artwork appeals to our beloved Haruhi! Once we magnify this picture and find out who the artist is, we shall scour the globe and present the authentic work to her as a token of our undying love!"

"YEAH!" Hikaru and Honey cheered along with him, their fists high in the air. _'Though I kinda wanted to impress Haruhi by_ _myself__...' _Hikaru thought, but he shrugged it off for now.

"This'll be so great! Haru-chan will be so excited!" Honey exclaimed in excitement.

"Yes she will, Honey-sempai! And not only will we get _this_ for her, *cue a spotlight on Tamaki's hand holding the pic up* but all sorts of beautiful paintings for her to show off in her usually dreary home! She will love us and be with us for eternity!"

**"YEAH!"**

Kyoya pinched the bridge of his nose as he groaned. He couldn't take it anymore. Even if it went against Haruhi's wishes, he couldn't deal with these morons looking non-stop around the world bugging people about finding a non-existent painting. Now also unlike Kyoya, Mori cared for Haruhi as much as he cared for anyone else, including Honey, and figured she didn't want anyone to know yet, especially Hikaru.

"That's not a painting," he said curtly, just beating Kyoya from saying anything and stopping the cheering.

"Huh?" the idiotic trio went, giving him puzzled looks.

"It's a sonogram picture." That statement only confused them even more, but made Kyoya's eyes widen again in realization. "It shows Haruhi's internal organs." Everyone froze and their mouths hit the floor. Hikaru grabbed it out of Tamaki's hands and quickly scanned it.

"How...disgusting..." Hikaru said quite uneasily. They were all too frozen to do anything or say another word. A small, sly grin came upon Kyoya's face as he walked up to Mori.

"Good quick thinking, Mori-sempai," he whispered quietly to him.

"They're Hikaru's, aren't they?" This also surprised Kyoya, but he kept grinning.

"Yes, but what gave it away to you?"

"Natural instincts."

"Ah, I see."


	4. Innocence

(A/N: Heh heh, Yumi-chan figured out the pattern in the chapter titles! Lol enjoy! And is it just me, or is it kinda stupid that it's not possible to use a ? and a ! together anymore? 'Cause there'll be a ton of lines where I wanted to do that, so please try to pretend that there are exclams after certain sentences!

BTW, I don't own Yogurtland or Pokemon. I did research and Yogurtland does in fact have locations in Japan, which is pretty cool. Try it if you haven't yet and if there's one in your area!)

* * *

_'Come on, you're almost done. Just this one last problem and...finished! Whew, finally. I never thought that homework would ever feel like such a burden.' _

Haruhi heavily exhaled as she shut one of her books closed and plopped onto her bed in exhaustion. Part of that said exhaustion came from the fact that she ended up missing half of the school day after getting sick (and not wanting to see Hikaru) and decided it'd be smart to get the stuff she'd miss from all her teachers before she left and just get it all done now. The other part came from the fact that she has so much on her mind (and just like during the classes she did actually attend today), she couldn't focus on working. And come on, considering her particular situation, how could she?

_'Oh man, what the hell am I gonna do tomorrow? And for that matter, the rest of my life even?' _she thought as she was getting washed up and then changing into a casual dress, which she has come to find more comfortable to where these days._ 'I'm gonna have to find some way to tell the rest of the guys, which of course includes...Hikaru. Ugh, again, he might not believe me and just completely deny it. But I don't lie, and they all know that. And plus, why would I pick on him of all people during the biggest crisis of his life if it weren't true? But then Tamaki-sempai's gonna totally kill him. Eh, Mori-sempai can protect him. But I just have absolutely no clue as to _how_ I'm gonna tell them and _when_...well, obviously sometime soon, before they can just see for themselves..._

_'Okay, so I tell them, then what do I do after that? By the time spring break's over and we go back to school, it'll definitely be obvious and posing as a guy is out the window for sure. I have no clue what the hell people will think! Haruhi Fujioka being both a girl _and _knocked up by the former twin! And what if I could possibly get expelled? All my hard work for nothing! Well, wait, Suoh-san's a pretty nice guy, he'd probably let it slide, and if not, Tamaki-sempai would beg him and cry until he relented. Plus, I'm sure Kyoya-sempai's coming up with a _real_ solution right now as we speak._

_'And then what happens once the babies are born? I still don't know what I wanna do! Well, I definitely know that if I do keep them, Kyoya-sempai will _not_ be allowed to get his grubby hands on them and use them in order to make money for the club. I mean, was he serious? Okay, he's always serious when it comes to business, but still, that's just ridiculous! But anyway, I mean, in all honesty, I want to keep them. I don't know if I'll be able to let go once they're here. But I have no idea whatsoever how Hikaru's gonna feel about it. I mean if he does accept the fact that he's their father, he surely has more money than I do and could support them, but would he really be a good enough parent? Oh geez, this is _Hikaru_ we're talking about here. Not to think too badly about him or anything, but I can just envision him screaming "SHUT THE HELL UP!" at the sound of them crying in the middle of the night. Yeah, poor kids. Plus, even though he seemed fine today, he's probably still really hurt and distressed about Kaoru...yeah just what he needs, his own twin infants to look after just as his own twin passes away. Oh my god, what the hell did he ever do that was so bad that he deserves this? His pranks have never been that bad or hurtful! And it's no big deal that he always makes fun of Tamaki-sempai! Or me! I didn't do anything but break a stupid vase, which I'm already paying for! Aah!' _

As she groaned in her own distress into a pillow, she heard the doorbell ring. She groaned more dramatically as she sat up and dropped the pillow, then headed to the front door. She wasn't exactly in the mood to see anyone right now.

_'Anyone but Hikaru or Tamaki-sempai, anyone but Hikaru or Tamaki-sempai, ANYONE but Hikaru or Tamaki-sempai.'_

"Hi, Haru-chan!"

"Haruhi."

"Oh, hi Honey-sempai, Mori-sempai," Haruhi greeted them back, _very_ relieved. _'Thank goodness...' _"Uh, did you guys need something, 'cause I'm still not feeling that great and don't know if I can handle company right now." She felt kinda bad saying this, but honestly didn't feel up to anything. Honey was looking as cheerful as usual, but Haruhi easily noticed how Mori was staring at her more intensely than usual, with a hint of concern in his eyes. _'Similar to the kind I saw in Kyoya's eyes today when he found me in the bathroom...'_ Haruhi tried to shake that thought. I mean, how could he know?

Again, Mori's instincts are seriously underestimated, even by the usually observant Haruhi.

"Oh, don't worry! We didn't plan on coming in or anything, Haru-chan. It's just that Hika-chan, who we're all really happy is okay now, showed us this picture of yours today and we just wanted to make sure that the doctor hadn't found anything unusual in your organs! It was a strange-looking picture, but Takashi told us you were okay because he knew what the things in the picture were! And then he suggested to me that we take you out for frozen yogurt! I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope you'll come with us!"

At the word 'picture', Haruhi almost fainted right there and then, but then she could tell that Honey was still completely oblivious to her condition. He was using his cuteness all the way so she'd join them (and it was working quite well on her at the moment). But Mori on the other hand kept giving her that same concerned look, not flinching for one second. Haruhi could feel the sweat dripping down her skin, but didn't want them to notice how nervous she was that either or both of them knew. She also hoped that, considering the dress she happened to be wearing wasn't exactly loose-fitting (and she had no idea she'd be seeing them, so she didn't care if she looked pregnant or not), they couldn't tell. But she could still feel Mori's eyes examining her _entire_ body now...

"Okay, it's only about 4:00 now, so I've got time before dinner. I guess I'm well enough to go."

"Yay!" Honey cheered as they left her aparment complex and started walking to the nearest Yogurtland.

The walk over to it was pretty much quiet, save Honey's loud humming and skipping. Haruhi felt happier just by seeing how happy she made Honey by agreeing to go. Mori was...well, Mori, and Haruhi could still feel his eyes on her, which made the walk slightly uncomfortable.

_'I just know he knows. If Hikaru really did show them the picture, he and the other two might've been too idiotic to realize what it was, but Mori's not stupid. I'm just grateful that he actually helped me out and kept everything under wraps.'_

Once at Yogurtland, Honey cheered and hurried in, getting two of the smaller cups for Haruhi and Mori and a bigger one for himself. Haruhi got artic vanilla yogurt and put strawberries and (due to cravings) red hot candies on it. Mori just got plain tart yogurt. Honey got a combo of artic vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and peach yogurt and got strawberries, rainbow and chocolate sprinkles, chocolate chips, and chocolate and caramel syrup, and none of them were exactly in small (or even regular) amounts. While most people like Yogurtland because it's cheaper compared to other yogurt places, with Honey, it's not exactly considered 'cheap'. Haruhi sweatdropped, but Honey willingly paid for everything.

"Alrighty! Let's dig in!" Honey cheered once they all sat down, and he immediately began digging in rapidly while the other two took their time. Honey and Mori (who didn't get _that_ much anyway) were done in five minutes, which didn't really surprise Haruhi at this point. "That was yummy!"

"Mitsukuni, go throw our cups away and get some more yogurt to take home later, and make sure you take your time doing so," Mori said to him, almost like he was commanding him to. Honey stopped smiling for a moment when he understood what the sterness in Mori's expression meant: that he wanted to talk to Haruhi alone. Haruhi understood as well, gulping what she had in her mouth nervously.

"Okey-dokey, Takashi!" Honey said, his smile returning. He grabbed their cups and skipped away.

After making sure he wasn't within hearing distance anymore, Mori then turned to Haruhi, with more obvious concern in his expression. Like Kyoya, he never would have expected something like this to ever happen to Haruhi of all people, nor did he expect it'd happen the way it did. Haruhi froze, dropping her spoon into her cup. She knew what was coming.

"You know, don't you?" she asked, her voice shaking. Mori's expression somewhat softened. "Hikaru showed you guys the sonogram?"

"Yes. Only Kyoya and I know." Haruhi exhaled, a bit relieved, but still shaken that he found out at all. "They're his, aren't they?" Haruhi's face fell at the question. She looked down at her melting yogurt, trying not to look him directly in the eye. She couldn't believe he found that out on his own. (Kyoya wasn't the kind of person to break promises.) But at the same time, she wasn't. It seemed just like him.

"...Yes. A while ago, he was at my apartment before I got home one day after school and ended up becoming drunk, then he raped me when I got home. He doesn't seem to have any memory of what he did and I have no idea how I'm gonna tell him and the other two. And not just that, but I don't know what I'm gonna do about school and keeping my gender a secret or if I'm keeping them or giving them up for adoption and all that. And I have no idea how Hikaru's gonna take it! I mean he just lost Kaoru! No one needs this right now, especially him..."

Unlike Kyoya, Mori didn't flinch once, though on the inside, he was still taken aback at how it all happened. He could tell Haruhi was trying her hardest not to tear up again, but a couple escaped and went down her cheeks. Like Kyoya, this also killed Mori a bit on the inside.

"Are you alright otherwise?" he asked stoically, but with a bit more emotion than usual. Haruhi breathed heavily as she stopped and looked up at him. This made her feel slightly better.

"Yes, actually. Besides the puking, everything's been...normal, I guess. Thank you so much, Mori-sempai." She definitely felt much better when she saw him smile...somewhat.

"I'm glad," he said, patting her head like he sometimes does. But his smile quickly vanished. "But you should tell him as soon as possible. He has a right to know and you guys need to discuss everything."

"Yeah, I know. But I don't really feel completely ready to tell him-" Cutting off Haruhi was the loud vibrating of her phone in her pocket. She groaned as she took it out and glared at it when she saw who was calling. "Tamaki-sempai. Is it okay?" Mori nodded, so she flipped her phone open. "Yes, sem-"

"Oh, Haruhi! Daddy hopes you're okay and that your recent appointment went alright!" he yelled, making Haruhi hold the phone away from her ear. Mori could easily hear every one of Tamaki's words from across the table. "Who knows what the doctor could've found! He could have found cancer! **No! **I would hate to lose another one of my children, let alone my favorite! Please take care of yourself! Daddy-"

"I'm _fine_, sempai. You saw the sonogram, there was nothing unusual about it." _'God, I'm turning into a liar! I feel so bad, but I don't wanna tell _him _of all people yet.'_ "I'll see you tomorrow, sempai."

Haruhi groaned as she snapped her phone shut, but jumped a little out of her seat once she felt it ringing in her hand the second she hung it up. Her eyes widened in fear when she saw who was calling her for the first time in months. And with the exception of both the 'incident' and the minimal reunion they had after class earlier today, this would be the first time in months that they would've even made any sort of contact. Haruhi definitely couldn't just tell him over the phone. Even so, she felt incredibly terrified to talk to him at all. His arrival to school today was completely unexpected. (She wasn't aware of him having exactly three months.) She wasn't even sure if she'd ever see him again period. But now he was back for good, almost his completely usual self, and here he was wanting to talk to her.

"Oh God, it's Hikaru." Mori continued staring at her silently and motionlessly as she opened up her phone again. "Hello?"

"Haruhi, are you alright?" he asked her, the worry in his voice very obvious. "I saw that picture you were looking at during class and I couldn't tell what the hell it was showing. Did the doctor find anything bad? And what even happened to you during lunch today?" Once again, just hearing his voice made her slightly tear up.

"I'm fine, Hikaru. There's nothing wrong. I'm exactly the same as when you last saw me months ago." _'Liar, liar, liar!'_ "And I was just a bit under the weather and felt like going home, that was all. But enough about me, how are you feeling? I had no idea if you were ever coming back!" This only made Hikaru feel worse.

"I'm so sorry, Haruhi! Like I said earlier today, I'm sorry I blew you and everyone else off and I hope everything will be alright now! Besides the fact that Kaoru's...not with us anymore, I just want everything to go back to the way it was and we'll have good times as always! Please? Tell me everything'll be fine."

Haruhi's mouth fell open as she fought back her tears as they tried escaping again. More than anything does she want to tell him he's right, that everything will be normal again and that it'll surely be fine. The host club will go back to normal and have fun again, have good times with no worries. But that is now impossible. Whether they kept the babies or not, their lives were changed for good. They'd never be the same people again. The host club couldn't ever be the same again. It broke her heart, but that was the truth, but she couldn't just tell him all that now, not when he's just feeling better. But she definitely believed in that last sentence.

"Don't worry, Hikaru, I'm fine with everything and you're right. Everything'll be fine. I promise you that." That was it. Haruhi said it and she now had to make sure she'd keep that promise no matter what.

"Alright, that's great to hear. I'll see you tomorrow, my toy." He laughed to himself, thinking that now he doesn't have to share her anymore at least, though getting her away from Tono would now be a bit more difficult alone.

"You really haven't changed, have you?" Haruhi groaned, thinking how even death doesn't totally change a person. "Bye." With that, she hung up and looked down again. Seriously talking to him just now really got to her inside. Thankfully no tears came out, but she felt somewhat distressed.

"Will you be okay?" Mori asked. He hadn't moved an inch the entire time. Haruhi looked up and smiled at him, which took some effort, but she managed to.

"Yeah, we'll get through it okay. We'll be able to-are you serious?" She felt her phone vibrating in her hand _again_. "Kyoya-sempai? What, was everyone so deprived of me today that _everyone_ has to check up on me?" It was true, at this point, everyone else from the club has seen or called her since after school today. "What is it, Kyoya-sempai? I'm kinda tired right now." She was hoping the irritation in her voice was obvious and that would make him go away quicker. She was still somewhat peeved about the whole 'making money off of the babies' plot of his.

"Sorry, Haruhi, I'll keep it short then. I just wanted to inform you that I've decided that the club will be closed for the rest of the school year, so you don't have to worry about staying late for the rest of this week with testing coming up. Plus, we need to discuss Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai's graduation party, the trip we're taking this spring break, and I also have a solution about you still staying in the club, despite you-know-what." Haruhi raised an eyebrow at that last statement. "I won't go into details now because I'll discuss that tomorrow as well, but just be prepared to start wearing the girls uniform for your last two years at Ouran. And yes, this'll work in a way in which you'll still be in the club."

"Seriously, Kyoya-sempai?" Haruhi asked, far from being convinced. "I don't know exactly what it is your planning, but we both know those dresses won't exactly be good maternity clothes, not to mention once Hikaru finds out he's the father, he's only gonna get more jealous of other guys being around me, so I don't understand how I could really stay in the club."

The lightbulb second from the left has now turned on.

The whole time Haruhi and Kyoya were talking, Mori shook his neck to the left to indicate Honey had returned (with what seemed like a ridiculous amount of cups filled to the top with yogurt and toppings), but Haruhi figured there was just some kink in his neck.

"You're gonna have a baby, Haru-chan?" Both Haruhi and Kyoya froze as Honey spoke.

Haruhi has to learn to be more aware of what comes out of her mouth and who's around that could possibly hear it from now on.

"Um, that'll all be in tomorrow's meeting, Haruhi. Good night." With that, Kyoya hung up asap, knowing that Haruhi would now be busy talking to Honey.

"I take it you're finished, Mitsukuni?" Mori asked.

He tried to draw Honey's attention away from Haruhi, who was being stared at by Honey's now _very_ widened eyes, though it didn't exactly work. Neither of them could read the expression on his face as anything but just curious. This was exactly what Mori was trying to avoid. He just wanted to talk to Haruhi in a way that wasn't suspicious to Honey, but this attempt had pretty much failed, and now Honey was in on it.

"Hika-chan's the daddy?" Honey asked, still staring at Haruhi, who was almost too nervous to speak. But after clearing the knot in her throat...

"Yes, Honey-sempai," she said, trying to sound serious about it. "Hikaru and I are going to be having twins, but he and Tamaki-sempai don't know yet, so I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd let me tell them myself, so-"

"Oh my god...this is wonderful, Haru-chan! Congratulations to you and Hika-chan!" Honey exclaimed happily, gripping Haruhi into a tight hug. Though kinda uncomfortable with how well Honey was taking it, she forced a smile and hugged him back. "Babies are just so cute! I can't wait 'til they're born! And it's so cool that there's gonna be the new Hitachiin twins! I bet Hika-chan's gonna be _so_ happy when he finds out!"

At this point, Mori dreaded the fact that he'd now have to explain a few things to Honey later, including where babies come from...

"Thank you so much, Honey-sempai. I just hope he'll be happy too..."

* * *

_'Dammit, "my toy"? Seriously, Hikaru? The goal is to get her to love you back before Tono discovers his real feelings, not drive her right into his arms!'_ Hikaru thought angrily to himself. He was lying on his (now own) bed playing his DS, but he was far more concerned with how he was gonna win Haruhi over than beating Pokemon Heart Gold. In his aggravation, he grabbed his near-empty bottle out from under his sheets and chugged the last drops of vodka in it. _'Dammit! I'll just get more later.'_

It felt kinda weird for him to go through his first school day alone, but he kept trying to convince himself that everything would be alright. Unfortunately, there were a couple times where he felt so distressed or irritated that he snuck a few gulps from his bottle. While he's been able to resist binging since that dreaded day a couple months ago, he has yet to break his habit and has become nearly addicted. He wasn't proud of himself and felt incredibly guilty, knowing how upset Kaoru would be with him, but he made no attempt to stop.

But Hikaru was far from thinking about that right now. He closed his DS and dropped it onto his nightstand as he lied down on his back, staring at the ceiling.

_'Okay, starting tomorrow, you're gonna become the best thing that has ever happened to Haruhi and you're gonna stay by her side forever! I'm sorry, Kaoru, but Haruhi's now my world and she'll see how much she needs me.' _Obviously still unbeknown to him, she does need him now more than ever, and of course he'd be happy to hear that, but only God knows how he'd take finding out _why_ she needs him.


	5. Freak Out

(A/N: Ugh, I have NO idea why, but my stupid laptop couldn't get any internet all yesterday and the night before, which is why this took a bit of time to finish. Not to mention my DVD player won't open for no reason...ugh, and maybe I'm just being my own worst critic and yesterday wasn't my best day of summer, but I'm not crazy about this chapter [kinda dull and nothing ridiculously shocking happens, which I guess is normal that not ALL chapters are like that]...but I hope you guys are fine with it! And just to let you guys know, I have only read up to the second volume of the manga, so this is completely anime based. No one knows there feelings for anyone unless otherwise stated.)

* * *

_"Hey, Daddy, it's time to wake up! Come on, it's already 8:00 a.m.!"_

_"Ugh, come on. I don't feel like it. Go find someone else to bug. Daddy wants to...wait a minute..._I'm no one's 'Daddy'_!"_

_In shock to being referred to as 'Daddy', Hikaru threw the sheets off his body and shot up in his bed. He scanned his bedroom, which looked pretty much the same, but his eyes stopped once they spotted what looked like a mini him, looking about five, standing next to his bed. The little boy stared up at him with two different impressions: one of curiosity and one screaming 'What an idiot'. Hikaru just stared at him for a second, trying to grasp whatever the hell was happening._

_"Uh, kid, I'm sorry, but I have no idea who you are. And I'm certainly not your dad, I don't even want kids when I'll be old enough to have any. I don't know how you could've gotten into my house," Hikaru said matter-of-factly. "Who are you anyway?"_

_"You can't be serious," the kid said sarcastically while crossing his arms. His attitude surprised Hikaru. "I happen to LIVE here, you know. And it's _me, _your _son, Kaoru Hitachiin_! I know you can be kinda weird sometimes, but this is ridiculous."_

_Hikaru couldn't help but stare at the kid in horror. Yeah, he looked just like himself (and the real Kaoru Hitachiin for that matter), but he without a doubt had Haruhi's sarcasm and his rudeness. And upon closer inspection, he noticed that the only physical characteristic the kid didn't share with him was his eyes. They were big, brown, and innocent-looking unlike his devious-looking amber ones. Hikaru really had no clue what to think._

_"Uh, are you sure, kid? Kaoru Hitachiin is my...well, _was _my twin brother, and like I said, I don't have and nor do I ever want kids. So go run along and find your real mommy and daddy while I go back to sleep, okay?" he asked him, trying _very_ hard to smile and sound nice, petting his head, which just made 'Kaoru' slant his eyes impatienly._

_"Mommy's right about what Uncle Kaoru said about you, you are a dummy!" Hikaru's mouth hit the floor at 'Kaoru's' statement. He was hurt that his brother would ever say such a thing! Though, it's not like it was that big of a shock or anything. But the kid was not giving up and seemed convinced that Hikaru is in fact his dad._

_"Well, don't listen to Mommy! I'm not a dummy! Who is your mommy anyway? And if you really are my son, then how come I've never seen you before, huh?" _'I have him now!' _Hikaru thought to himself, smirking._

_"Haruhi Fujioka of course." Hikaru went quickly from smirking back to his look of absolute horror and shock. "Well, I guess I should say Haruhi Hitachiin, but Fujioka is her maiden name. Oh, and the reason you haven't seen me before is because I'm not gonna be born for several years." While hearing the name 'Haruhi Hitachiin' temporarily made Hikaru's heart flutter, he was then just weirded out._

* * *

_'Oh God, talk about an insane dream."_

Hikaru woke up wide awake to his phone alarm. He couldn't believe what the hell he had just dreamt. Sure, he was thrilled to think that sometime within the next several years, he and Haruhi would be happily married and living in eternal bliss, like he would want, but he was horrified by the fact that he'd have a know-it-all brat like _that_ for his son. Like he was telling the poor kid, he doesn't even want kids, and his dislike of the idea very likely only increased after having that dream. It was already hard enough for him to initially accept the fact that he fell for Haruhi and had the desire to be with someone else besides Kaoru for the rest of his life.

_'Besides, it was just a dream! Though Haruhi's definitely more sensitive than I am and probably doesn't necessarily_ dislike _kids, she's so goal-oriented that she probably doesn't have any desire to have any either. It'll just be me and her and that'll be it, us happily ever after alone! No Tono, no host club, and no know-it-all brats!'_

God, does Hikaru seems to have a tendency to be wrong when it comes to just about anything or what?

Not thinking about it anymore, he got himself out of bed and got ready for the day. Starting today at school, he was gonna be (or at least try to be) the greatest thing in Haruhi's life. Not that he's exactly the ladies' guy like Tamaki (being the polar opposite actually), he was _far_ more determined now than ever to be happy again and get what he wanted while not being totally selfish for once. Where this new, sudden determination come from, well, he just knew it was something he had to do. Plus, without Kaoru, his world consisted _only_ of him and Haruhi now, though it had a big empty space that he knew couldn't be filled, but he didn't dwell on that fact.

After he finished getting ready, he was out the door with fresh ootoro in hand, hoping that Haruhi still longed for it. Unfortunately, deep in the bottom of his backpack was a full flask he found in the kitchen cabinets the night before, which to him was much better than a flimsy water bottle...

* * *

To say that yesterday was quite an eventful day for Haruhi would be the understatement of the year. Seeing Hikaru for the first time in months (and seeing him okay above all things) and having half the host club find out about him raping and knocking her up surely added some excitement to what she thought a few weeks ago would be a regular, dull Monday. Though as far as she was concerned, her life was no longer gonna be dull anymore, at least for the coming months anyway. While she was still thinking about things and how she was gonna tell him and Tamaki (while keeping everyone unharmed and alive), she figured she'd have to start getting used to being in her 'condition' and feeling comfortable around Hikaru again, since that'd be the decent thing to do. She also decided to just go along with him treating her like his 'toy', no matter how much it would aggravate her. It'd definitely be best to break the news to him if he was in a good mood.

She yawned as she sat her bag down at her desk and unpacked her books. She was _very_ tired from puking all last night and prayed that the worst was almost over, but she was definitely awake once she turned around to see Hikaru staring _deeply_ into her eyes...in an _extremely _close in-your-face kind of way.

"Omigod!" she exclaimed, jumping back a bit in surprise, though he didn't seem to flinch and just kept looking at her intently. _'What the hell?' _As he continued to gaze into her eyes, a huge smile crept upon his face.

"Good morning, Haruhi!" he greeted her, sounding a little too happy. "I'm very happy to see you today!"

"Uh...you too?" she replied, trying to back away, but he kept creeping towards her until she bumped into her desk and there was about less than an inch of space between their faces. _'Okay, there's no doubt that he's sober now and there are a bunch of witnesses, but please don't do anything again!'_ As expected, Haruhi's pretty much scarred. "Uh, would you mind telling me what's on my face that's so fascinating?" Hikaru's eyes shot wide open at the question and he hurriedly backed away a bit in embarassment.

"I'm so sorry, Haruhi! I was just, um, looking at your eyes!" he answered her, partially telling her the truth. He knew he couldn't tell her how happy he was about them being married in his dream last night, but he wanted to compare her eyes to 'Kaoru's'. "It's just that, um, last night, I had this dream last night where this little brat I don't even know was in my house bugging me to get up really early on a weekend morning and he wouldn't stop calling me his daddy for some reason! And he told me that you were his mom! But he did look a lot like me actually, and he definitely had your eyes. We even named him after Kaoru. That's just so weird, isn't it?"

Hikaru was in such deep thought about his dream, he failed to notice how pale Haruhi became. It took a moment to sink in, but once it did, she was speechless at how ironic it was that he just dreamt something like that, like he was having a vision of the future or something, though he wouldn't have thought so obviously. She struggled to just get a single word out that didn't involve her telling him how that could be their future, but she managed.

"Oh yeah! Weird for sure! That's crazy," she said. He was still in thought and just nodded. She gulped _hard_ as she tried to speak again. "But, um, tell me, what was it like? Ya know, having a son?"

In her head, she was praying like mad that whatever that was gonna come out of his mouth was something along the lines of how great it was having a kid in his dream and how he couldn't wait to have children now or even that it wasn't too bad or just okay, anything that wasn't negative. But she's sadly used to being disappointed in life...

"Damn, it was anything but good! The kid was a total know-it-all brat who wouldn't leave me alone to sleep. I don't exactly plan on having any kids when and if I get married, but if I did, I wouldn't want them _too_ early and they hopefully wouldn't be bratty little-" Hikaru immediately shut up once he saw Haruhi standing in front of him with her mouth hanging open in shock and on the verge of sobbing. "Wait, Haruhi! Please don't! I-I didn't mean-"

It was too late. Her waterworks were pouring down out of her eyes as heavily as a waterfall. Hikaru had never felt so guilty before in his life, and it's not like that happened very frequently where he _didn't _mean to make a girl cry. People in the room started giving them looks, though some girls who were regular host club attendees were thinking about how it was SO sweet that 'he' was so willing to show his true emotions.

"Hikaru, you baby-hating bastard! You're so heartless! Children are a gift from God and aren't brats! They're cute and adorable and the best thing that could ever happen to a person! You're such a retarded dumbass!" After her short tirade against him, she rushed out of the room in tears, heading for the nearest bathroom, leaving Hikaru standing there dumbfounded.

_'Crap, crap, crap. I had no clue whatsoever that she loved kids THAT much and wanted them so badly. And even if she does, I can't believe how emotional she got over it. Man, my plan to win her over isn't exactly going off with a bang,' _he thought sadly to himself, wasting no time in grabbing the ootoro off his desk (just in case he needed to liven the mood now) and chased after her through the hallways, trying his best to evade other kids who were just hanging out before school started. "Haruhi! I'm sorry!"

"Retarded dumbass!" she yelled back at him as she picked up speed, eventually disappearing after turning a certain corner.

Hikaru also had no clue whatsoever that she was _that_ fast. Eventually getting tired, he came to a stop and was panting hard, staring at the ground. He needed to think about how he would handle this and make her feel better. As he was standing there resting for a second, he felt someone bump into him. He was far from expecting it to be who it was when he looked up.

"Watch where you're going! I...Ki-Kirimi-chan?" He was speechless to see Kirimi Nekozawa in front of him. He was freaking out a little on the inside when he saw her on the ground crying softly. He didn't think she'd even be here ever again ever since the little incident with the club and Nekozawa. She probably should've been at the Ouran grade school right now anyway.

"Owie! I hurt my bottom and it really hurts! I want my big brother! I just wanted to say hi to him before school started!" she cried as she rubbed it with both hands.

Not that she was crying hysterically or freaking out or anything thank God, but she was far from happy. At that moment, something clicked inside Hikaru. As he saw the sad expression on her face and the tears roll down it, he felt his heart sinking. It was eating away at him. She was such a kawaii, innocent little girl (who reads shojo manga) who didn't mean any harm (unlike his alleged son in his dream, who was the exact polar opposite [though he was cute too]). He hated seeing her just sitting there in tears when all she wanted was to see her onii-chan. He remembered how he and Kaoru used to make innocent little girls cry, on purpose even, and enjoyed it, but he couldn't explain what was different this time.

_'Why do I feel like this? Little kawaii kids _never _have an effect on me like on so many other idiots, so why do I feel so sad? Oh man, am I turning into Tono? This would be SO like him. Or did that dream lower my expectations of kids that low? This isn't right. This isn't ME, but I can't stand it! She's so cute and she looks so sad!'_

"It'll be okay, Kirimi-chan. Please don't cry," he tried telling her comfortingly. He went over her and kneeled down to her level, petting her head.

"Really? Are you sure" she asked sniffling, not crying anymore. "Do you know where big brother is?"

"Uh, I'm pretty sure his homeroom is 3-A, which is just a few more doors down. If you wanna see him, you should hurry up before the first bell rings."

"Okay then! Thank you so much, mister!" she said, smiling joyfully, jumping up to give him a hug like she did Tamaki so long ago. She then let go after a moment and ran off to find Nekozawa's homeroom.

Hikaru was kind of taken aback by this, but seeing her happy and smiling made him feel fuzzy inside, which kinda freaked him out a bit 'cause like he thought, this was _not _the way Hikaru Hitachiin was, being all selfless and loving towards anyone that wasn't Kaoru or Haruhi, but he couldn't resist smiling at her back as she ran off.

_'Okay, Haruhi was right, kids are pretty cute and loveable without even trying. Oh man, I have to find her before first period!' _At that thought, he resumed his running and hurried over to the nearest boys' bathroom.

Once Haruhi found the bathroom, she ran into one of the stalls as fast as her feet would allow her to run and sat down on the floor sobbing, not even caring about how unsanitary that might be. She cried into her knees as the things Hikaru said burned in her mind. The poor girl had no idea how she could tell him, the guy who obviously doesn't ever want to have kids, that she's having his kids! She was now pretty much terrified that he'd abandon them once he found out and wouldn't want to have anything to do with them. (Though that's a bit extreme and untrue, in her emotional state of mind, it seemed perfectly logical.) She bet he might even try to convince her to get an abortion (which again, he wouldn't really do), but she would never and he could go to hell then for all she cared.

_'Mother, Kaoru, please help me. I can't believe this. If he ends up rejecting me and his own children, then their lives will already be ruined before they even begin. What am I gonna do? I really don't want to give them up, but Dad and I can't support them on our own!'_

"Haruhi? Are you in there?" Hikaru asked as he pounded on the door to her stall.

"Get the hell away from me, Hitachiin!" she screamed from inside the stall, her screams muffled by her sobs. This easily broke Hikaru's heart.

"Haruhi, we're gonna be late! I'm really sorry for what I said! You were right, kids are really cute and make everything about life better! I swear I don't hate them! And I am a retarded dumbass sometimes, but I'm incredibly, eternally, extremely, really, very, unbelievably sorry! Please accept my apology!" _'Are you serious, Hikaru? There's no way she'll believe something as sappy as that! While you might not be lying at all (which I'm not), she's not _that_ easy to forgive someone.'_

"Oh, Hikaru!" she exclaimed happily as she slammed the door open. Hikaru just barely jumped back in time before he could've gotten smacked in the face by the door. "I forgive you! I'm so glad you've seen the light now!" She gripped him in a very tight hug, which freaked him out a little, but he himself was definitely happy he hugged her back hesitatingly.

"Oh, good. I'm glad you're feeling better," he said nervously, being completely sincere, but was still freaked out that she got over it so easily.

"Hey! Is that ootoro? Can I have it, pretty please? And do you have any Tabasco sauce I could put on it?" she begged him the second she noticed the box in his hands, looking like it was the greatest thing in the universe. She apparently failed to notice (or really care) about how much her mood was fluctuating and how that might look to Hikaru.

"Uh, yeah, it's all yours. Sorry, but I have no sauce. I was saving it until lunch, but go crazy." He willingly handed her the box, the contents of which she was devouring in no time. Hikaru was happy to see her happy again, but sweatdropped at the barbaric way she was eating. _'This is a little weird, especially her wanting such a ridiculously spicy sauce to put on it, but I guess she might not have eaten yet today.'_ Ah, but she had, Hikaru. A lot at breakfast, actually. _'I jut can't believe she recovered so quickly. Then again, I still can't believe how angrily she went off on me earlier, like she's actually having kids right now. Okay, that's 100% not it, but whatever.' _

Oh, Hikaru, if only you knew.

* * *

"...So everything's good? Okay, we will be there on that exact date. Thank you."

It was finally the end of the day and Kyoya, Honey, and Mori were all at the club room already. Kyoya just finished making the necessary reservations for the trip they planned on taking during spring break, which would be their last trip together before Honey and Mori go off to Ouran U. While the university was conveniently only a couple minutes away from Ouran Academy and Honey and Mori could come every day if they wanted to, they wouldn't be the exact same host club anymore and the two of them would be busier than ever, which only made this trip more special, which was why they got to decide the destination.

"Alrighty, hotel reservations and ticket purchases for Tokyo Disneyland are all set," Kyoya announced as he hung up his cell. He had been busy on his phone and laptop all after school getting everything ready. Honey was busy digging into cake (shocker) and Mori was just watching over him (another shocker). "Not a bad idea, Honey-sempai. Supposedly, it's the world's third most visited theme park, plus none of us have been there yet and I'm sure Tamaki will love spending a day at a popular commoners' theme park."

"Thanks, Kyo-chan, I'm really excited!" Honey answered him smiling with his mouth filled with cake (yet another shocker). "But it was actually Takashi's idea!" Kyoya raised an eyebrow at this and then looked over at Mori, who was showing no expression (and yet _another_ shocker). "He thinks it'd be a great place for Haru-chan and Hika-chan to get closer! Though it's too bad that Haru-chan won't be able to go on a lot of the fun rides..." Realization then hit Kyoya.

"Oh, I see," he said, a grin creeping upon his face. "Very smart, Mori-sempai."

"She needs to tell him as soon as possible. Disneyland would definitely make for a better date than Karuizawa, and she'll be forced to explain why she can't go on certain rides. Plus...I've always wanted to go on Space Mountain."

"I wanna try the Dumbo ride! He's just so cute!"

"We can discuss rides once we're there, guys. Right now, we need to convince Haruhi to go, since it's hard to say what other vacation spots she actually likes besides the beach...where I don't think anyone will want to go to for a _very_ long time, especially Hikaru..." Everyone's faces fell at the mention of the beach. "But we surely will have to try Thunder Mountain as well once we're there." Everyone then cheered up again.


	6. Things I'll Never Say

(A/N: Okay, I know some of you are anxious and REALLY want Hikaru to just find out already, but I really don't wanna rush into that and I'm sorry, but I really like building up the suspense. :) Sorry though! But I already have a very good idea on how it will happen, so when it comes close, that chapter hopefully won't take too long to do! :D But enjoy this one for now (and this one is REALLY long this time)! This is, I will admit, another somewhat boring chapter [I'm surprised the last one went over as well as it did, honest!], but either the next one or the one after will definitely be a big deal!

Also, a pic of Haruhi in the costume she's wearing at the end of the chapter can be found on DeviantArt, just go to the site and type in OHSHC: Beauty and the Beast in the search engine.)

* * *

_"Again? We were just at the beach months ago," Haruhi said. _

_She was busy taking the opportunity to study while there were no clients visting the club at the moment. The two devilish twins looked quite ecstatic at their suggestion and crept closer towards her, which still always made her shiver, even though they seem to do that a lot._

_"Yeah, _months _ago, Haruhi-" Hikaru began._

_"-which indicates a _long _time-" Kaoru continued._

_"And we still wanna see you in a cute swimsuit!" they finished together. Haruhi just slanted her eyes at them in response._

_"Don't worry, Haruhi. We'll be going to a different private beach this time that's so secluded, you have to take a two hour boat ride to get to it, and since it's my family's ship, we'll be the only people on it. Plus, you have to have a key in order to unlock the gate that surrounds the island anyway," Kyoya said as he was busy away on his laptop organizing the trip. "And we know it's pretty much one of the only vacation places you like anyway. And since it's winter, it'll be nice to be somewhere warmer."_

'Typical rich people, owning their own islands even,' _Haruhi thought to herself. While she was overall used to these guys flaunting their money in front of her face, it just seemed like they were getting richer and richer with each new thing (if you would call an island just a 'thing') they bought or already owned._

_"Oh, just think about how wonderful this trip wil be, my darling daughter!" Tamaki exclaimed dramatically as he wrapped his arm around her. "Everything-"_

_"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever, Tono. I think we've heard all are your dramatic monologues before and they're getting old," the twins said in a disgusted tone, snatching Haruhi away from him._

_"HEY! You two dopplegangers get your filthy paws off of her NOW! And there's nothing wrong with admiring nature's true inner beauty!" Tamaki yelled at them from a distance, but the two of them just laughed it off and stuck their tongues at him, which temporarily made them flinch. _

_"You know, sempai, you yourself touch me quite a lot too. Doesn't that seem pretty inappropriate that a father does that to his own daughter so much, especially when she doesn't even like it herself?" Haruhi asked him sarcastically. Needless to say that triggered Tamaki to go into his emo corner. After sighing, Haruhi had an answer: "Okay, fine, I'll go to the beach with you guys. I'm sure we'll have a fun winter break and that this trip will be good."_

_The twins cheered at her answer. Tamaki would've joined them had he heard them, but was busy sulking in his corner with his new hampster home. While they were all a humongous bother to her as a whole, Haruhi had grown to love them like the family Tamaki insisted they were. She loved them all individually and nothing could change that. Like Tamaki, she would've hated for anything to change. She didn't think she could ever be happier and that's what she wished for like everyone else on this planet, but she found happiness when she wasn't even looking, and she was eternally grateful._

* * *

Also needless to say is that _was _what used to be a normal day and that the trip was definitely beyond the definition of 'unforgettable', but not in a good sense of that word in the least. Now back to today...

"No way," Haruhi said flatly to the trip idea Kyoya brought up at the meeting they were holding in the club room after school that day. It was the first time all of them were finally together in the club room since before winter break.

Everyone else who was sitting down just sweatdropped, though it wasn't that big a surprise that she'd go against it. She didn't like the idea of going to Tokyo Disneyland, considering she wouldn't be able to go on a lot of the rides. The one person who was now not sitting, but instead weeping and standing over her, grabbed her tightly by the shoulders. She has become used to it after all the times he's done it though.

"But Haruhi! It's a fantastical idea that I totally agree with and Mommy's so good at coming up with them! You're acting like such a typical, rebellious, teen daughter right now when you're usually so obedient and good and **perfect**!" Tamaki cried, shaking her almost to death. Haruhi just looked away from him indifferently as he did so. Some things honestly don't ever change.

"Careful, Tama-chan! Don't hurt Haru-chan and the b-" Before Honey could finish his sentence, Mori slapped his hand over his mouth, not caring that he probably go some frosting on it now, since Honey wasn't done eating (nothing new here).

"Be careful about what you say and who you say it around, Mitsukuni. He and Hikaru still don't know." Honey nodded in reply to Mori's statement.

"Give it a rest, Tono. Even if it would be totally awesome, if Haruhi doesn't wanna go to Tokyo Disneyland, we're not going to Tokyo Disneyland," Hikaru said in an evidently irritated tone. As long as he could be with Haruhi, he didn't really care about where this little vacaton would take place, even though he loved merry-go-rounds...but for her sake, he'd be willing to go anywhere she wanted.

"**No, Hikaru!**" Tamaki wailed, only sounding more immature and whiny as he went over to sob right in Hikaru's face this time. Hikaru tried his hardest to resist the innocent puppy eyes. If flasks weren't so recognizable to the public eye these days, he wouldn't have wasted any time digging it out of his backpack to gulp whatever was left in it. Tamaki was seriously getting to him today of all days, which was inconvenient considering the beginning of the day was alreays stressful enough for him. "You obviously don't realize what a fun and educational experience going there would be! We'd get to see what is, in the eyes of commoners, the happiest place on Earth where all dreams and fantasies come true for them, even if it's just for one day! Apparently, commoner girls are even able to become princesses there! And don't _we_ have the perfect princess candidate!"

Cue a spotlight on a rather annoyed and indifferent-looking Haruhi as confetti suddenly blasted out of who-knows-what from who-knows-where.

_'Again, isn't this supposed to be a music room? Sheesh.'_

"There's no way we could possibly miss such an opportunity!" Though Tamaki was dramatically prancing around the room and making weird gestures with his arms as usual in order to be convincing, Hikaru didn't move as he irritatingly crossed his arms on the table and set his head on them, starting to get a headache.

"Ha ha ha ha! So very true, Tamaki-sempai! All Disney parks are so-"

"Go away, Renge-kun," Hikaru said flatly before she could even 'pop up' as usual. She jumped out from under the ground without the usual 'spinning' and angrily ran up to Hikaru. She happened to be (badly) cosplaying as Cinderella, complete with the dress, tiara, gloves, her hair up, and even the glass slippers.

"You're so mean, Hikaru! I was just saying how great everything Disney-related is! Whatever, I've been to the one in Paris so many times that I don't care if you guys let me come or not!" With that, she jumped back into the floor and everyone was perfectly happy with that.

"Guys, seriously, I don't really wanna go to a theme park. I'm not really into big rides these days..." At Haruhi's statement, Hikaru died a bit inside. He couldn't believe she didn't find rides like that exciting and just totally awesome! But she did say 'these days', so who knows? Maybe she would get back into them, but for now, _whatever_ she wants, she'll get from him.

"Well, it's too late now anyway guys," Kyoya said smiling, his little black book in hand as he was writing down who-EVER-even-knows-what-but-we'd-all-love-to-know. "I have already made all the reservations for our hotel stay and purchased our tickets, so Haruhi, unless you wouldn't mind me adding a new debt to-"

"**NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!**" Hikaru screamed right in Kyoya's face, which made the usually unflappable Shadow King slightly lean back in his seat in fear. Hikaru even went as far as grabbing him and pulling him up by his jacket. "Enough with the retarded, unecessary debts! Our poor Haruhi has already gone through enough in life and she doesn't owe us **anything** anymore! She's more valuable than every diamond and ruby and emerald and silver and gold and platinum bar that could possibly be found in the Earth's crust! We're lucky enough to just have her here with us, and I think her presence is forever worth more than money ever could be, so **enough**! But if you absolutely insist on billing her non-existent debts, I'll pay any and all of them myself out of my own pocket! So from now on, _Ootori-sempai_, **STOP PICKING ON HARUHI AND LET HER BE!"**

As Hikaru towered menacingly over Kyoya, an awkward wind blew over the now silenced host club. As Hikaru kept gripping Kyoya's jacket, he stood there feeling quite uncomfortable as he was sweating and everyone else was staring at him in a mix of fear and amazement that he just blew up at Kyoya the way he did.

_'Oh damn, that was a little bit over-the-top now, wasn't it? I'm guessing Haruhi won't exactly appreciate me standing up for her _this_ way...' _Hikaru thought nervously as he slowly released Kyoya, who agitatingly straightened out his jacket, and sat down back in his chair very quietly. _'Somebody please say something, anyone and anything would be okay. PLEASE.'_

"Wow, uh, thanks Hikaru, I guess," Haruhi said nervously, still a bit frightened by his overly dramatic outburst. Everyone immediately turned their heads towards her, still speechless. "That's very thoughtful of you. I never knew you could act that way." And that was the total truth, considering how selfish he and Kaoru usually were.

"Uh...um, uh...your welcome, Haruhi. It's no problem at all..." he said sheepishly, turning away from her, blushing really hard. Everyone else (minus Tamaki) smiled, liking how things were going between the two future parents at the moment. However, one particular king was far from smiling and enjoying the moment.

"Don't listen to that conniving devil, Haruhi! I'll pay off any more debts Kyoya throws at you from now on and for the rest of your life!" Tamaki began freaking out again, shaking Haruhi _again_. "Better yet, Kyoya, you'd better eliminate any and all of Haruhi's debts right **now**!"

"Shut up already, sempai. You're kinda making me feel ill right now," Haruhi said with a straight (and still annoyed-lookign) face, which was about to send Tamaki to his corner again until..."Well, I'm pretty sure that Disneyland has a few easy rides, and the park's supposed to have very nice scenery, so...okay, we can-"

**"YAY, HARUHI!" **

Tamaki rejoiced, scooping Haruhi back into his arms again, but this time joyfully. She tried her best to force a smile, not quite as enthusiastic as he was, but she was genuinely happy that he was happy once again and that they would hopefully have a much better and less depressing trip than their last one as a club (or family, whichever you prefer). Hikaru, though excited for the trip and being with Haruhi, was aggravated at watching Tamaki smothering her as much as always. Not that this was weird or anything, but since he now wanted her more than ever, this became far more unpleasant to watch the more Tamaki did it.

The other three discreetly nodded towards each other, knowing that the plan they came up with earlier was nicely unfolding. Now that Haruhi was on board for the trip, everything could go exactly as they all hoped. They were hoping that Haruhi and Hikaru would get 'accidentally' separated from them so the two of them would be all alone and have to spend the day together without anyone else. And with any luck, Hikaru would beg her, beg her, BEG HER to go on any of the fast and jerky rides and she'd have to tell him. Plus, since they'd be in such a public place, no one worried about Hikaru hurting her again.

Everything seemed like it could go perfectly, and it could, but there was one particular problem in the way. A very blonde (in both physical appearance and personality) problem. Kyoya knew that he'd have to and would be able to solve said blonde problem, and he was determined to eliminate it. (Don't worry though, not _eliminate _eliminate.)

Once they finished discussing the trip and the grad party (the discussion of how she was going to attend school once she would begin 'showing' wasn't brought up just yet, Kyoya wanted to hold off on that for now until everyone actually knew), Kyoya knew what he had to do.

"Hikaru," Kyoya said to him, getting his attention, though Hikaru was kinda suspicious that the Shadow King looked so content with himself. "Why don't you take Haruhi into the back and have her try on some of the Disney princess dresses we have that she can wear to a ball being held the evening of our visit to the park? The notice I received about it pointed out that the attire for women is a costume of one of the many princesses in all the different Disney princess movies. Before you guys got here, I had a bunch shipped in for her to try on."

"Ball?" everyone asked simultaneously with interest evident in their voices as they took their heads off the table.

They were initially getting tired after the long meeting, but the second they heard the words 'Haruhi', 'princess', 'dresses', and 'ball' all in the same sentence, they all were wide awake now. Huge smiles were quickly plastered on everyone's faces (besides Mori, who despite having his indifferent expression on, was definitely jovial on the inside) as they tried envisioning Haruhi as every single princess that would come to mind: Snow White, (a much better than Renge) Cinderella, Aurora, human Ariel, Jasmine, Giselle, and how kawaii she'd look as any of them! Hikaru himself was especially excited, getting to be the one to watch her try them all on!

"Wait, what? You didn't say anything about any ball!" Haruhi pointed out, feeling the exact opposite about this as everyone else and unhappily thinking about how much she already disliked dresses, but the Disney princess ones are particularly poofier and girlier, even beyond her own standards. Plus, how tight-fitting would any of those dresses' bodices look on her after the next couple weeks before the trip?

"Come on, Haruhi! It'll be _so_ much fun watching you try on dress after dress, just like my own little Barbie doll," Hikaru said as he ran to her and linked his arm with hers. He briefly turned around to stick his tongue out at the now destroyed-looking Tamaki.

He was very ecstatic with the assignment Kyoya just gave him and it was showing in his face. (But in his excitement, he quickly gave himself a mental slap, realizing what he just called her, but it was too late now and he knew she'd get over it.) Haruhi felt scared, and for a pretty good reason too. She would've objected had he not swiftly dragged her away into the changing room in no time, though it was harder for him to do so alone for the first time.

_'Just go along with it, Haruhi. I mean, look at how happy he is. At least try not to do anything that'll upset him. And it can't be _that _bad, could it? The dresses are ridiculous, but he loves this kinda stuff that has to do with fashion, so just suck it up. It's not like you even have a choice, sadly.'_

"Oh boy! I can't wait to see Haru-chan dressed up like a princess! I bet she'll look super, super cute! We'll have to take a ton of pictures at that ball, Takashi!" Honey exclaimed excitedly once the two had left the room (and Hikaru made another face at Tamaki before slamming the doors shut).

"Hmm."

"Neither can I Honey-sempai. I'm sure she'll look very lovely," Kyoya added, still smiling. "Don't you agree, Tamaki? ...Tamaki, are you alright?"

Tamaki couldn't hear Kyoya, for he was standing in front of the door to the changing room very still, almost eerily. The roof could have begun collapsing, the floor could begin breaking underneath him, the walls could be closing in, and everything else in the room still intact could suddenly burst into flames and he still wouldn't move an inch. His heart broke as he watched the demonic former twin run off with his beloved little girl. Not being able to hold it in any longer, his tears began flooding out of his eyesockets at the speed of light, and it's not as if they were coming out in miniscule quantities. At the sight of the heartbroken king, Honey and Mori felt sad for him and Kyoya, though feeling somewhat guilty, was irritated that his tears could flood the entire club room and drown everyone.

"Tamaki, you should quit crying. You could flood the room and drown us all," Kyoya pointed out. (Gee, way to be sensitive to your heartbroken BFF and fake husband, Kyoya...)

"Wha...wha...wha...what just happened here...?" Tamaki struggled to choke out in a very raspy-sounding voice, breathing heavily and still not moving an inch. "My little girl, being nice to and just running off with...wi...with _him_...she totally just abandoned and went against Daddy...oh, Haruhi..." Some of the pity the other three were feeling was now gone. He STILL hasn't realized his feelings and the others couldn't believe how air-headed and oblivious he truly is.

The trio made a decision on how they were going to go about this: it was either they make him realize his feelings, then IMMEDIATELY make him get over them so he wouldn't be heartbroken in a romantic sense (which is kinda harsh), or let him continue to believe their relationship was father/daughter and teach him to let her go and be around other guys (specifically Hikaru). The votes were unanimous; the latter all the way. Plus, it'd be easier for Haruhi to tell Tamaki if he was more accepting of Hikaru.

"Look, Tamaki, you need to understand some things," Kyoya told him sternly as he got up out of his seat and walked over to him, putting a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. He had to explain this in terms that Tamaki would understand, so what he wanted to say had to be slightly dumbed down. "You know how fond both twins always were about her, and after the very unfortunate tragedy that just occurred, Hikaru needs Haruhi more than ever." Not really wanting to hear this, Tamaki sadly looked down at his feet. Other than that, he still wasn't moving or speaking. "While he's definitely struggling, he's trying to get closer to her so he could have her fill in the space in his world that Kaoru used to occupy. Yes, we know you've never been a big fan of the twins being around her, but Hikaru really might actually be as good of a thing for her as she could be to her. All little girls need other men in their lives besides their fathers, so maybe you could at least try to let go just a little bit during this trip? I'm sure we would all appreciate it."

The room was like a room in a building of a ghost town. Another wind passed by, but it wasn't as awkward as just sad this time. Kyoya couldn't believe how ridiculous and sappy some of the stuff that just came out of his mouth was, but it was something that Tamaki's mind could've comprehended easily. He, Honey, and Mori were waiting for more tears to fall out of his eyes.

They were far from expecting the reaction they ended up getting.

"You're right, Kyoya!" Tamaki exclaimed triumphantly, getting out of his emo-ish state out of nowhere and grabbing Kyoya forcefully by the shoulders. Kyoya kept a straight face, but was certainly confused at how well he was taking all this. "As a father figure, I need to learn to let go and allow her to let boys into her life! Sure, I'm not crazy that she'd pick a shady twin out of all the guys on the planet, but I'll adjust! I'll let them get closer during our trip, I swear! I'll be the best father ever!"

_'Wow, seriously? This seemed almost too easy...'_ Kyoya thought, but he was just glad it was over with...at least for now.

* * *

"Absolutely not, Hikaru!"

"But Haruhi, you have to try them all on before we decide, and Jasmine's included!"

"I'm not wearing a skimpy midriff to a formal ball, Hikaru! I already don't like the other dresses and that's just a downgrade from them!"

The whole time, Hikaru tossed dress after dress at her and insisted she try on _every_ single one of them. Unfortunately, there was some sort of contradiction with every dress she tried. The majority she hated because they were too girly like she knew they'd be, and if she found one that she didn't hate 100%, he'd find something about it that made it look bad on her. ("That's SO not your color!" "The sleeves are way too poofy!" "You don't look good as a redhead!") Yes, she had to _go all_ the way with this, jewelry, wigs, and everything.

_'This is torture. How is this FUN to him? I'll never get what's so great about dressing up just for the "fun" of it...Oh geez, am I gonna have to deal with this? Two shopping addicted children who'll wanna go to the mall ALL the time? I don't know if I'll be able to handle that...'_

"Fine, have it your way," he said somewhat obnoxiously as he tossed the Jasmine costume into the reject pile (which consisted of pretty much every Disney princess costume known to man) and went back to the racks. "Let's see what else we got...okay, you'll be happy to know that this is the last one and you'll get to stay a brunette this time, and yellow would look good on you, so here." He grabbed the last one (Belle), which included the dress, wig, shoes, and jewelry and handed it to her, no longer looking like he was having fun, not that she ever was either.

"Thank you, I guess..." she mumbled as she took the dress and wig and closed the curtain behind her.

Once she closed it and began getting out of the Tiana costume she was in, Hikaru grouchily sat down on top of the small table in the room. While on the one hand he was mad that she wasn't willing to have fun with him and that she was being difficult, on the other hand he was mad at himself for not being more of a gentleman, which would make it easier to impress her.

_'Come on, just be polite! You won't go wrong that way! Hopefully she'll look great as Belle and you'll have a ton of super nice things to say! Aah, this is so hard!'_ Gee, just simply being nice is so hard, how sad...

"Okay, I'm done," Haruhi said as she swung the curtain open, also getting grouchy. "Well?"

Taking a deep breath, Hikaru turned around and was prepared to tell her how fantastic and hot and kawaii and overall awesome she looked in the costume and that they should just pick it so she'll have something. Once he fully turned his head, he opened his mouth, ready to compliment her no matter what.

Nothing could come out though.

"Oh man, that bad?" she asked him, sounding worried almost as she looked down at the dress, completely oblivious to his stunned expression. "I actually thought this was pretty decent, but-" Before she could finish, she was surprised to see he walked right up to her and began gazing into her eyes again, but more seriously than before. "What is it, Hikaru?"

For a moment, all he could do was look with his mouth slightly open before he finally spoke. "You look...absolutely beautiful." Haruhi's eyes widened. She had _never _heard him say something so touching and sincere before!

"Oh...thank you so much. For everything today, Hikaru," she said also sincerely (which she already always is).

Seeing her smile the way she now was made all the frustration he went through with her today totally worth it, and now he couldn't wait for the trip more than ever.


	7. My World

(A/N: Wow, PurpleFluffBunny7813 made a very good point in her review for the last chapter about _Beauty and the Beast_! That's pretty cool and that never occurred to me! But anyway, this was so far the hardest chapter to write and I'm sorry that this was the longest gap in between chapters so far! It was hard, but please enjoy and thank you guys for taking your time to read! It's greatly appreciated and it always makes me excited every time I see how many hits each chapter gets! :D)

* * *

The next couple of weeks practically flew by for our beloved host club. They finally finished testing for their finals and the rest of the school year ended that week. They all watched as their two oldest club members graduated from Ouran, which easily brought Tamaki to tears, but they promised to show up for the club every now and then to see everyone (and quietly to Haruhi, that they'd visit her so they could see the babies and maybe even babysit, which she thanked them for). Their party after the graduation that was being held the Hitachiin mansion was enjoyable as well, but it would've been better if other food besides cake was available...(Of course that was all Honey wanted and Mori is always cool with whatever he wants.)

That entire night, it somewhat irritated Tamaki every time Hikaru tried to make some kind of a move on Haruhi, but he kept Kyoya's words in mind and held his tongue, knowing that he was doing the right thing for his 'daughter' and Hikaru. Not that Hikaru was necessarily flirting with her or anything, but he was trying to stick to his plan of just being nice and courteous, which honestly did make her somewhat uncomfortable because that was so unlike him, but appreciated that he was trying so hard. She also felt extremely guilty that he and Tamaki still had no idea about nearly-everyone-else-knows-what, but she still couldn't bring herself to do so, especially when it was supposed to be Honey and Mori's night.

That night marked the beginning of their spring break. For the most part, no one really met up with each other and they were all just busy doing own things to relax on their vacation, though no one was really able to relax. Tamaki was teeming with excitement about the trip. Kyoya was stressing as he was formulating his plans of Haruhi still attending Ouran as herself the next school years despite her condition, and getting her and Hikaru alone at the park. Honey and Mori were preparing for attending Ouran U and were also worried about how things would go on the trip.

But compared to Hikaru and Haruhi, the other host club members were in perfect euphoria and honestly had no problems in comparison.

Hikaru couldn't have been freaking out more if he tried (not that he or anyone else really would try to freak out, but just saying). He wanted, no _needed_, this trip to go perfectly. It was hard enough to get Haruhi to agree to it, now he wanted to make sure she wouldn't regret it. He already made her cry that last week of school enough times; he would try his hardest to make sure he doesn't let that happen ever again. Not that he could really do anything about anything until the day of the trip actually came, but he couldn't help but worry over it and look at all the ways it could possibly go wrong. In the midst of this worrying he was going through, the Hitachiin household mysteriously 'lost' about ten wine bottles within three weeks.

Mainly just to torture Tamaki a bit, Hikaru had decided to keep Haruhi's sonogram picture to himself (which everyone was obviously okay with). (They all did find it rather strange that he did care about it so much though...yeah, it might be _Tamaki_ we're talking about here, who couldn't me more obsessive about a certain cross-dressing scholarship student, but still, a picture of her organs was _that_ important to him? Seriously?) One day while he was getting ready to pack, he was going through his drawers and found the picture stuffed in one amongst a bunch of other crap. His curiosity about it returning to him, he dug it out and examined it again, but in a good light this time.

_'What're those two round-ish or oval-ish things near the center supposed to be?' _he wondered to himself, furrowing his eyebrows at the thing. _'Maybe they're like her kidneys or lungs...or just something, 'cause whatever they are, they just look weird. Eh, whatever.' _He took the picture and just stuffed it carelessly into a small zippered pocket in one of his bags. _'I don't really get what the big deal was with her trying to hide it though; Mori-sempai said everything looked okay in it. I guess I could always just ask her, even if she would get pissed at me for showing it off, it's really no big deal, I don't think.' _

Maybe Hikaru would've realized that it was a _ridiculously _big deal (and maybe would've handled the picture with better care) had he known he wasn't looking at any sort of internal organs, but his own children.

Haruhi wasn't going nearly as nuts about the Tokyo Disneyland excursion as was Hikaru (or at all even), considering she still had a ton of things she knew she had to start seriously thinking about. Only after the last week of school did it completely sink into her head that she was now responsible for the well-being of her babies and had to be careful from now until her due date (which was sometime in September, but she expected earlier since multiples are usually a bit pre-mature). During the break, she became way more conscience of how she ate (and how much she ate) and started taking prenatal vitamins. And along with studying for school like she usually did on vacations (Way to spend vacation, Haruhi...), she got several baby books and studied up on those as well. Of course she never asked for this to happen, what girl her age did? But now that it was happening, she was going to be responsible about it like she was with everything she did whether she'd keep them or not. Out of all the hardships she has gone through in her life, this was certainly the one not to take lightly.

Ranka would always remind of her of how proud he was of her for handling it so well (and while it was early, how it was kind of exciting to be having grandchildren!) and it made her feel better, but she still couldn't help but be nervous. Sadly for her, while she slowly started to get over her moodiness, there were just maybe a couple times when this whole mess _really _dawned on her. Those were the moments when she would just suddenly stop whatever she was doing or focusing on, whether it was cooking or doing laundry, and think to herself _'Oh my God...I'm _actually _pregnant...and I'm only sixteen. How could this have happened? I had my whole life planned out and this was definitely not a part of it! I don't know if I can handle this!'_ and end up bursting into tears. Ranka would let her cry into his shoulder or she would into a pillow. Thankfully, she would recover and go back to accepting that it was the truth and that what was done was done.

And while she tried to be excited for the trip, she still had no clue how to break it to Hikaru and how'd he take it, but he'd find out soon enough.

* * *

It was now about three and a half weeks since any of them had seen each other at the party and the beginning of the last days of their break, which also meant that it was the beginning of their Tokyo Disneyland trip!

"Mor~ning, Ha~ru~hi~-chan! It's time to go to To~ky~o Dis~ney~land!" Tamaki, Hikaru, and Honey sang merrily as the host club showed up in their limo at her aparment door the morning they were leaving, ecstatic to finally be going.

Haruhi was in her bedroom, just finishing up her packing. She could hear their (not-so-great) harmonizing from her room and she nearly leapt out of her skin in surprise; they were way early, but whatever. After gaining back her composure, she packed away her last things, which included her container of vitamins (the tag of which she ripped off), a couple baby books (the covers of which she went crazy on with a sharpee), and none other than her Belle costume (which she had in a garment bag so it would stay pefect for tonight). She was grateful that it still fit her, but she gulped hard as she grabbed her bags and started out of her room. Though not too noticably, she was definitely showing more than she thought she'd be in less than a month, and she was still only wearing her regular clothes.

_'Well, it is twins. What'd you expect? It only makes sense. Just PRAY that Tamaki and Hikaru don't notice,'_ she prayed as she opened the door. "Hey guys," she greeted them, trying to sound somewhat aggravated like she always did when they came around and also in attempt to hide her fearfulness.

"Hey, Haruhi!" they all said simultaneously, some more enthusiastically than others. She looked nervously at Tamaki, Hikaru, and Honey's smiling faces; Kyoya's serious expression; and Mori's look of complete indifference. She began sweating hard when she saw Kyoya's, Honey's, and Mori's expressions disappear and be replaced by ones of slight astonishment as their eyes, which nearly popped out of their heads, made their ways to her stomach (which Tamaki and Hikaru were completely oblivious to, but probably only because they weren't thinking about it), but they shook it off quickly.

"We're all ready to go and have a super duper fantastically awesome fun-filled time, Haruhi! Let's go!" Tamaki cheered joyfully as he swung his arm around Haruhi dramatically as usual while Mori and Honey grabbed her bags. She could've sworn she just heard some fireworks and canned audience-like cheering somewhere nearby.

"Yeah, yeah, let's just go already, sempai." But just as they were out the door...

"HOLD IT! DON'T YOU BOYS MOVE A MUSCLE!" Everyone instantly stopped in there tracks and turned to stone at Ranka's command. They slowly turned their heads around to see him (in all his tranny glory) with a sour look on his face and his arms crossed. Tamaki was ready to be slammed into the wall again any second now. "I just wanted to say goodbye to you guys and wish you all a safe trip!" They all breathed and were thanking the heavens; they were about to go out the door again, until he jumped right in front of them (scaring the hell out of them again and just pissing off Haruhi) and looked intently at a certain king. "But Tamaki..."

"Yes, sir?" he sqeaked as their noses practically touched. He was preparing to lose his own as tears began forming in his tear ducts.

"..."

"...What is it, sir?"

"...I'm especially counting on a fine young man like you to watch over my little girl!" he exclaimed assuringly, patting Tamaki on the back.

It's probably not necessary to say that everyone's mouths were hanging open and becoming homes for various flies as they all just stared at Ranka in complete disbelief.

"What? So he fell on top of my little girl one day on accident, so what? It's not like he raped her or anything!" Ranka laughed at his comment as everyone still stood very still, four of them having a good feeling about what was coming next when Hikaru recovered first.

"Yeah, but you should still worry, sir! You know what better hands she was in with me and Kaoru as opposed to this womanizer over here!" Hikaru joked and began laughing himself, stepping in front of Tamaki, but he stopped and everyone else just tensed up even more at the face that Ranka was giving him, which was seething with a blaze of fury. Hikaru was without a shread of doubt terrified, but also not at all aware of why Ranka could've been mad at him of all people.

"YOU had better watch yourself, Hitachiin! During this trip, you are to NOT lay a finger on my Haruhi! And that's an **ORDER**!"

"...G-g-g-got it, Ranka sir..." Hikaru squeaked similarly to Tamaki, backing away as he soluted.

Michael Jackson could've risen beneath their feet alive, the clouds in the sky could've come crashing down on them, a wrecking ball could've destroyed the apartment behind them, but they were all just stunned...stunned that he'd EVER, in ten billion years, treat Tamaki like the prince he believed he was and Hikaru like the doormat he used to treat Tamaki like. They stayed that way as they carefully made their way to the limo that started for Tokyo Disneyland once they were all buckled up.

"Have fun you guys!" Everyone nervously waved to Ranka from inside the limo just before it drove off.

"W-w-what the hell just happened back there...? W-why does he suddenly hate me...?" Hikaru couldn't help but stutter, still in shock. They were all deep into their seats, also trying to absorb everything. In response, everyone else just shrugged, which pretty much meant 'I don't know'. Besides Tamaki, everyone was lying at that moment.

Hikaru could not have been farther from where he wanted to be with Ranka. Obviously if you want a certain girl, you want to be on good terms with said girl's father. Now for a reason he is still not aware of, they seemed to not be on good terms (and it was especially weird that he and Tamaki were suddenly on great terms...). He knew Haruhi realized how unreasonable Ranka was being, but still, this would make dating very difficult.

* * *

_It was winter time, just the very beginning of December. Yet where our beloved host club was, you would've guessed it was summer. The sun was shining warmly on them and they were all in beach get-up, looking out into the ocean. Well, one of them, the sole female, wasn't in said get-up, and everyone was much more interested in looking at her than the ocean. (How typical.)_

_"PLEASE come out, Haruhi dear! Daddy still hasn't seen you in a kawaii swimsuit yet!" Tamaki cried and he and everyone else stood outside the dressing room she was changing in on the ship. They were all anxious to see the kawaii-ness that would be revealed in only mere seconds!_

_"Yeah, we made sure that Mom would come up with only the best design-"_

_"-with your cuteness in mind-"_

_"-so it's a rare one of a kind!" Who knew the twins were such poets?_

_"Hold on, I'm coming," Haruhi called out from her dressing room impatiently. She finally shoved the curtain aside._

_Needless to say that all the guys were staring in awe, except a certain Cool Type who was snapping photos at the speed of sound. They all had envisioned her in such attire more than enough times and couldn't stand how cute she looked, but the real thing was far beyond their own expectations! Her suit was mainly yellow, with part of the top being orange and the sleeves had short ruffles lining them. For Haruhi's sake, the twins half-heartedly agreed to make sure their mom designed it as a one piece; Haruhi didn't care that they're 'Fine!' was half-hearted at all. With the suit, she also had a cute orange and yellow flower-shaped barette, like she sometimes accessorizes with._

_"Well, I'll take the silence and dropped jaws as approval, right?" Haruhi smiled as everyone still stared (or snapped pics), then silently gave her a thumbs-up. Usually, she'd make some sort of 'This is ridiculous' or 'You guys are such perverts' remark, but she must've been in a pretty good mood that day._

_Not long after such a glorious event of seeing her in such kawaii swimwear (well, it was glorious to THEM), everyone went back to just doing whatever. The twins in particular were leaning against the ships's railing, looking out into the ocean and eating bananas. They were alone and not within hearing distance of anyone else. Kaoru thought of how perfect this was. There was something that he had wanted to discuss with Hikaru again ever since the end of the 'date' in Karuizawa, but up until now, there was no good time with the whole Ouran Fair debacle going on. But now that it was all over and the host club was back together for good no matter what, it was now the perfect time. Not to mention the fact that Tamaki still views Haruhi only as his daughter would make the discussion so much easier._

_"So, Hikaru..." he began as the two of them were finishing up their bananas._

_"So, Kaoru..." Hikaru replied as they just simply tossed the peels into the ocean. On the one hand, at least no one would slip on them for once, yet it wasn't exactly a good idea on the environment's part._

_"Haruhi looks pretty great in the suit Mom designed, huh?" The two of them smiled and turned around to look at her. She was simply just lying down on a chaise, reading something._

_"Oh, definitely. That was kinda the point, right, that she'd look good?" Hikaru asked with a completely straight face, not yet getting where Kaoru was trying to go with this._

_"Yeah, no duh. But what do you think, doesn't she look particularly cuter and, um, *cough*more dateable*cough* compared to other girls who've worn Mom's swimsuits designs?" Karou smiled nervously as he waited for Hikaru to register what he just said. When Hikaru did realize it, he just slanted his eyes at him._

_"Hold it! Where the hell are you going with this Kaoru? What does Haruhi's 'dateability' have anything to do with this?" Hikaru asked him, honestly understanding what was going on, but he didn't want to put it into words. Kaoru's sly smile returned, which threw Hikaru way off._

_"Oh, come on, Hika-chan! It took me some time, but cute swimsuit or not, I figured out what you think of her. It was only emphasized after your 'date' in Karuizawa. Now don't deny it, bro, tell me how it is! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!" Suffice to say that Hikaru began blushing like mad at the 'what you think of her'. It didn't help that Kaoru insisted on poking his side every time he went 'Tell me!'_

_"I...I...I...don't know what the hell you're talking about, Kaoru!" he exclaimed defensively (but tried not to be too loud so no one would wonder), smacking Kaoru's hand away. Kaoru was barely phased, his smirk not faultering one bit. "I mean, Haruhi's a great toy and all, but that's ridiculous. And it's pretty obvious that Tono wants her and could get her with one hand tied behind his back if just tried, or at least realized it. That moron..." Hikaru then sighed and rested his arms on the railing again and his chin on his arms._

_"Oh man, Hikaru. You know, you're not as different from Tono as you might think." Hikaru raised an eyebrow at that statement. "But at the same time, you guys are different in that he's just completely oblivious and you're not, but you won't accept the truth. Look, it took some time, but I realized it myself after the little 'date' you guys had in Karuizawa. She makes you happy, and I love seeing you happy."_

_"Come on, Kaoru, I'm not letting anyone break our bond no matter what, especially a girl!"_

_"You STILL don't get it, do you? She's already in, bro. No one saw it coming, but she's part of our world now. You can't deny it any longer and you shouldn't. She's changed everything and it's no longer just you and me anymore, and it never will be. But that's something that you should embrace, no ignore and hope it just goes away. I know that'd absolutely destroy you. Listen to me, Hikaru." Hikaru was surprised to see that Kaoru now had his serious face on, which was definitely not on frequently. "All I could ever wish for is for you to be happy for your entire life, and she can make you happy, so I don't want to be the reason you don't let her. It might always be you and me, but if she makes you happy as well, then I'll step back a bit so she can, then you'll have both of us watching over you." Hikaru slowly began to realize what a big deal this was to Kaoru. "If I were to die tomorrow, I want you to know my last wish: for you to be happy and be with someone else who'll love you to the ends of the Earth. And because I love Haruhi too, I want the same for her, and I know you could do to her what she does for you, but you have to show her how far you'll go. In the long run, I know you'd all live happily ever after if you'd just let it happen. And I know you want it to happen, so make sure it does!"_

_Not long after the twins' little heart-to-heart, the ship finally arrived to the private island belonging to Kyoya's family. Once everyone brought up all their stuff to the mansion they'd be staying at and settled down, they all went off to do their own things. The twins mainly swam and played some beach volleyball. For once, Kaoru won every game quite easily. It was obvious to him that Hikaru couldn't help but think about everything he told him, which made it hard for him to concentrate._

_Hikaru knew that he wanted to make Kaoru happy as well and how right he was about everything and how he could just tell. That was something he easily had in common with Haruhi. That would've been just another of the many things Hikaru loved about Haruhi, the love for whom he knew he couldn't deny forever, but he still wasn't sure. It was all just so much for a guy as immature as himself to handle at that moment._

* * *

_Hikaru's world has qualities similar to an uninflated balloon. Before, it was very small and it only contained two beads, himself and his brother. The beads were big enough that they filled up about 95% of the empty space in the balloon, the rest of which was filled by MUCH tinier beads that represented other people in their lives that made even the slightest impact on them (their parents, house staff, teachers, etc.). This was their world. When Tamaki and the rest of the host club came into their world, four (not AS tiny) beads went into the balloon along with a bunch of tinier ones (their clients). With these additions, the balloon expanded and his world got a teeny bit bigger. It was then like that for two years and that's as big as he and Kaoru ever expected it to ever get._

_Then all of a sudden, Haruhi came along. Neither he nor his brother realized that a bead that was equal to the size of their own beads would enter the balloon, making it MUCH bigger than before, but all the empty space that bead created from streching the balloon was still filled up completely. Hikaru apparently doesn't want to accept the fact that Haruhi makes up so much of his world and has such a big impact on him, just as much as Kaoru does. All people come into our lives for a reason though._

_At the same time, people leave as well, and the empty space their beads used to occupy can sadly never be filled completely again..._


	8. Contagious

(A/N: Hooray for 1,000+ hits! Thanks guys! And as usual, enjoy! :D)

* * *

"You guys cannot be serious. The entire trip here was totally for nothing now," Haruhi growled through her clenched teeth.

"Sadly *cough, cough*, it's true, Haruhi dear! *cough, cough* How we all wish it weren't true, but *cough, cough* it is so!" Tamaki wheezed dramatically, like he does everything. And if you can imagine it in your heads, his 'coughing' honestly couldn't sound faker, and Haruhi was well aware of it, no doubt. He was saying and coughing all this while lying underneth the heavy covers in his hotel room while everyone else just watched.

Once they finally arrived at Tokyo Disneyland, they went straight to the lobby of the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel and Kyoya went to the check-in desk to get all their keys. Considering it's _them_ we're talking about, everyone was able to get his or her own room (which Haruhi was against initially, since that'd be a waste of money and she didn't want a new debt, but they insisted, plus Kyoya, giving in to Tamaki and Hikaru's begging and/or threats, 'wouldn't dream' of billing her ever again for anything). Hikaru and Haruhi were both ready to head out to the park once everyone had their luggage brought up to the rooms and was settled in, but out of nowhere, everyone else suddenly had mysterious reasons to back out of going...

"I feel like *cough, cough* I might **die** any second now! Goodbye, Haruhi!" He then began weakly flailing his left arm about while grabbing his neck with the other, acting like he couldn't breathe. Hikaru just sweatdropped while Haruhi felt ready to explode. She wasn't exactly in a state in which blowing up would be a safe thing on everyone else's part.

"I hate to be the bringer of bad news as well, but I completely forgot that I had to contact an interior decorotor about maybe re-inventing the club room's image a bit. You know, our customers might be a bit tired with all the pink and flowers everywhere deal, so I'll see what can be done for the next school term. Sorry, guys," Kyoya said as he sat at the little table in Tamaki's room, typing away furiously on his laptop without looking away from the screen for one minute.

"Don't worry, you guys! Me and Takashi still wanna go! We're gonna-" Before Honey could finish (and spoil the entire plan), Mori slapped his hand over Honey's mouth, again.

"We can't. We just recieved a text from the police department saying that they need back-up at a dangerous crime scene. We're very sorry," Mori said flat out with a straight face, like always. Honey then remembered the plan and nodded vigorously.

"Man, are you guys serious? That just sucks. We were all supposed to have fun today, for once," Hikaru said, sounding pretty bummed out about all this, not exactly as aware as Haruhi was that all of this was beyond fake. But then he realized this meant that he and Haruhi would be totally alone! _'Hehehe...fate's pretty nice sometimes, I guess.'_

"Yes, you guys, it is a huge shame, but-" Kyoya immediately stopped talking and typing when he heard sniffling. He looked curiously away from his laptop screen and, along with everyone else, felt his heart being ripped clean out of his chest as he saw Haruhi beginning to tear up...again. "Um, Haruhi, like I said, we're all very sorry, but we can't-"

"You all hate being around me! I should have known! If you guys didn't wanna go to the park, you shouldn't have planned this entire trip in the first place! I'm all alone in this miserable, dark, unforgiving world!" she wailed, crouching on the floor in complete distress. Everyone's mouths just hung open, but they tried to refrain from saying anything wrong or that would ruin the whole plan again.

"Oh, Haruhi, it's okay! I can go with you! We'll have so much fun together, don't you worry!" Hikaru cried hysterically along with her, crouching down to her level to hug her.

Everyone else watched as the two moped together for a few minutes while they picked their mouths off the floor and exhaled heavily out of relief. Everything was going back on track now and things would be fine. Well, that was going on in _most_ of their heads.

"**NO! **We could never hate you! Look, Haruhi, I'm healed! It's a miracle!" Tamaki announced, jumping right out from under the covers. He stood in a dramatic pose on top of his bed as the heavens shined a light right on him. "I'm 100% recovered and ready to-" Out of nowhere, a shuriken (with the blades covered up) went flying and nailed Tamaki right in the back of his head, knocking him down. "Owie...something just hit me..."

"Whoops. Sorry about that," Mori said insincerely.

"Yeah, sorry Tama-chan, but we gotta practice, ya know!" Honey and Morei just stood there innocently with their hands behind their backs while Tamaki glared at them from his bed, still in seething pain from the bump forming on the back of his head.

"Well, it looks like you're in no condition to go now, Tamaki. You two go ahead for right now. We might be free, or in stable condition, later hopefully," Kyoya said, resuming whatever fake work he was doing.

"Well, *sniff* okay. I guess we'll go then and hopefully see you guys at least at the ball tonight," Haruhi said, still recovering from her little outburst, but looking a bit more hopeful as they got up off the floor. "Ready to go, Hikaru?"

"YAY! Don't worry, Haruhi, we're gonna have an awesome time, with or without that pervert!" Hikaru cheered as he squeezed her even tighter, then quickly rushing right out of the room with their arms locked. Tamaki resisted jumping off of his bed to strangle him before they were gone.

Once the two of them were out of the room, everyone stayed in their positions (Tamaki on the bed in pain, Kyoya at the table 'working', and Honey and Mori 'texting' the police back) for several minutes just in case. Then, they all went to the window to see the two 'love birds' (well, one of them is definitely in love) walking over to the bus stop where the bus that would take them to the park would arrive at.

"Alright, gentlemen! It's time to move out and commence Operation Letting Go of My Darling Daughter and Make Her and Her Homosexual Supporting Character Love Interest Fall in Love, also known as Operation HikaHaru 4Ever!" Tamaki stated proudly, pointing upwards at nothing particular as more fireworks went off out of nowhere. "Men, you know your positions and are ready, correct?

"Yes, Tama-chan, sir!" Honey said as he and Mori soluted him, ready for 'action'.

"As am I, Tamaki, but before we go, wouldn't it be wise for you to ice that nasty bump on your head before the pain becomes too unbearable?" Kyoya asked as he put his laptop away in its case. The other three sweatdropped.

* * *

Throughout the entire little journey from the bus to inside the park, both Haruhi and Hikaru couldn't help but feel nervous. Hikaru was beyond ecstatic on the inside that he was totally alone with Haruhi at the 'happiest place on Earth', on what he'd consider their second date (which couldn't go worse than the first one, he was hoping), but of course the pressure was **on**. He'd have to be considerate and go along with whatever Haruhi wanted. By the end of the day, he wanted her to be totally in love with him and wanted to get that dance with her at tonight's ball, the one he didn't get at the Ouran Fair because of his broken arm.

That had really depressed him that night, that he was the only host club member who didn't get to dance with her. God only knows how _that_ jealously in itself wasn't enough to convince him that he really loved her, or even during Halloween when they were stuck in that net together. They was pretty much no space between them while she was cutting them free, and he was blushing _hard_ when she was on top of him. He thought about how _none_ of those emotions he was feeling at those times had any effect on him at all, so what could've been blocking them?

_'Kaoru...now that he's no longer a part of my world, my world revolves all around Haruhi. I just can't believe that his death had to be the thing that made me realize my feelings...' _he thought sadly as they were going into the park. _'But now's my chance. I should be thankful; second chances aren't easy to get.'_

Winning over Haruhi was pretty much his biggest concern on this 'date'. Haruhi, on the other hand, had **much** more to be concerned with, and said much more was probably more important anyway. She still felt a bit weird being alone with Hikaru, considering she'll be scarred for life because of what he did, but she was getting over it the more she was around him in general. Plus he was still very dear to her and she could tell, whether or not it was obvious, how much he seemed to always enjoy her, even as a person as opposed to a toy for once. But she was also still praying that he wouldn't drag her onto any really jerky and/or fast rides, otherwise she'd have to explain herself.

_'Stop worrying, Haruhi. Stress is bad for the babies, keep reminding yourself of that.' _

Now that was another thing entirely. It then occurred to Haruhi that she was now about three months along. This would be it. She procrastinated long enough and it didn't matter how he would take it, and it was not like her of all people to put stuff off. She finally decided that she'd have to tell him _today_, before he'd be able to just see so himself. It was perfect, since they'd be alone and if he'd have a good time, he'd be that much easier to tell. Plus, it'd probably be better to tell him before Tamaki, considering the king would go after him the second she told him the _whole_ story. Then it also occurred to her...she'd have to find some way to explain how it even happened. Well, he had to have remembered the part when he started to drink, and if he remembered being at her house at all, it'd be a more plausible story. She felt bad because she knew he'd feel absolutely terrible for doing that to her, but she'd tell him that she forgives him and that should make it slightly better.

It was decided: they'll hang out around the park for a while, they'll have a blast, he'll be in a great mood, she'll find the perfect timing and make sure they're totally alone, she'll tell him about how he raped her, he'll feel like a bastard, she'll tell him that she still loves him and forgives him, he'll feel slightly better, she'll drop the pregnancy bomb (without it being a _total _surprise), then...well, she still didn't know how he'll take it, but she has to tell him sometime and no matter when, he'll have the same reaction anyway.

So yeah, both of them are entering Tokyo Disneyland with a whole bunch of worries on their minds. Great way to start the day of fun...

"So...have any idea what we should do first? It's _entirely_ up to you, Haruhi. I'll go along with anything since this isn't exactly the kinda cheap place Kaoru and I used to vacation at when we were little," Hikaru said, looking at a park map, as they were entering the park through the World Bazaar, which looked just like a glass palace. (A/N: It's like the opening gate to the park that leads to the center, which would be the equivalent to Main Street U.S.A.). Though Haruhi recognized his attempt at being considerate, he was still as blunt about commoner stuff as ever.

"Uh, I really don't know. The only time I ever came here was not too long after my mom died." Hikaru suddenly felt bad for making Haruhi think about her mom all of a sudden, though she didn't feel touchy about it or anything. "My dad wanted to do something for me to make sure I wouldn't feel too sad, so he saved up enough to get us two tickets to go for the day. Back then, we had a little more money since my mom was a lawyer, so it didn't really make that big of a dent into our savings. But since it was so long ago, I barely remember, but what I do remember was having so much fun, and that my one favorite ride was Splash Mountain. It's a ride where you get in a boat and go along a river and the ride's pretty easy initially, but then at the last second, there's this huge drop near the very end and you get so wet! I loved it so much and probably drove my dad crazy that day, making him go on it so much. But every time, I was still surprised because I never thought about the huge drop, which made it so exciting each time I rode it! That was one of the rare times my dad and I were together, just the two of us with no responsibilites in the way." Haruhi smiled as she looked down. It felt nostalgic.

"Oh, that is such a touching story, Haruhi! I'm sorry that you had such a miserable childhood! I promise that your life will be pure happiness from now on!" Hikaru cried into a hankie that suddenly came from a cool place called thin air. Haruhi still never got why he and Kaoru seemed to find every story that anyone tells touching, and she was supposed to be the emotional one...

"It's okay, Hikaru. I'm fine now. But if it's okay, I'm still not into really going on rides like that, so that's kinda out of the question."

"Hmm, then I don't have any idea what the hell we're supposed to do then, but like I said, you can choose what we do," Hikaru just stated unentusiastically, plopping down on a nearby bench. Haruhi was a bit aggravated now, but she just sat down next to him and kept her mouth shut. "I'm just saying you can choose everything we do and I'm sure it'll be fun!" He then sounded cheerful all of a sudden. Haruhi couldn't believe how bipolar he and Kaoru were, and still are in Hikaru's case.

As they sat their, trying to come up with an idea, they watched in amusement as 'Mickey', 'Donald', and 'Goofy' were all happily entertaining little kids and taking pictures with them. Once they noticed that Hikaru and Haruhi were looking in their direction, they felt a slight chill and finished up taking pictures and ran away behind the nearest wall asap in fear, which somewhat confused everyone. Once they were well concealed, they panted and rested a bit.

"Oh geez! They saw us! They might've recognized us! Everything's ruined!" 'Mickey' cried, putting his gloved hands to his mouth as if he would've actually been able to bite his nails in nervousness.

"Calm down, Tamaki. We're in full-body costumes that conceal our entire bodies, plus we didn't talk at all, so there was no chance they realized it was us," 'Donald' said impatiently, looking a little past the wall to get a good view of the (hopefully will be in the future) couple.

"Oh yeah. Good point. But anyway, it's going horribly, just as bad as the Karuizawa date! Because of Haruhi's distaste for exciting rides, they have no clue what to do! Haruhi's never gonna find true love now! All is ruined!" 'Mickey' kept freaking out, getting stares from people who were passing by that could easily hear them.

"Give them some time. They're just starting for crying out loud. Ugh, Kaoru was so much better at this kind of stuff. He really understood relationships better than the rest of us, which is ironic in it's own way, considering he and Hikaru barely have any real experience with any sorts of relationships with other people in general..." 'Donald' speculated as he whipped out his glasses to put on his costume's head so he could see better and his black book to jot whatever into it. He stopped for one second when he saw something unusual about 'Goofy'. "Mori-sempai...what happened to your head?"

"Over there," 'Goofy' said. The costume was taller than usual, so the neck actually went up high enough to cover Mori's head, so Honey was sitting on top of his shoulder to occupy the space in the head. 'Goofy' was holding the costume's head under his arm, pointing over to where Honey was. Tamaki and Kyoya looked curiously at Honey who was once again in his old man get up, manning some souvenir cart. "I think it might actually be a good idea this time."

"Hey, you two cute young'uns!" Honey greeted them in his (pretty bad) old man voice, pushing his cart in front of where they were. Not really paying attention, they were somewhat surprised and jumped out of their seats a bit when he suddenly appeared and started snapping two of the cute Mickey and Minnie ears hats on them. "You two make such a cute couple! How about a free souvenir photo for your trip?"

"Uh, I guess that's okay..." Haruhi said nervously. It's not exactly every day some weird old guy who looks like Honey shows up with free stuff.

"Totally! You look so kawaii in that hat, Haruhi!" Hikaru exclaimed excitedly, getting really close to her to wrap his arm around her. "Snap away, old man!"

"Okay, I guess they don't look _that_ bad," Haruhi said some time after they finished up and started walking towards Fantasyland, smiling at the many pictures Hikaru had to have taken of them together in the cute hats they were still wearing.

Wanting a ton of cute pictures together, Hikaru made Haruhi pose with him and made Honey take a bunch of pictures of them together until they got one where Haruhi actually looked about half as excited as him (which took up all the film in the camera). Honey was happy to do so just to see them finally have a good time. Haruhi even started enjoying the picture taking fiasco after a while, just seeing Hikaru go crazy to have one that was 'perfect' was pretty amusing (though he kept all thirty-two pics anyway). Once they were finished, Honey also let them keep the hats and suggested that they go to Dumbo, which Haruhi had also really liked as a kid and knew wasn't too strenuous. Now they were on their way to Fantasyland to get to it.

"What do you mean bad? You look so adorable in it! _We _look so adorable in it! That old guy was pretty nice for letting us keep the pics and hats for free, though he really reminds me of...eh, whatever. I just hope this ride is good."

"Oh, have some faith, Hikaru. It's pretty easy on you, but it's cute and it makes you feel like you're flying." Haruhi began explaining as they got in line. The Disney character trio was nearby once again in full costume, taking pics again, but glancing at them from time to time.

"Oh yay! Things are going well! All is now good in the world!" 'Mickey' squealed happily.

"As it was before, Tamaki. Hopefully any awkwardness is gone and they'll enjoy themselves...and maybe a few things will come out from it as well," 'Donald' added as he smiled from inside his costume, seeing how perfectly everything was going.

"Yeah! My free photo taking and hats really smoothed things over, huh?" 'Goofy's' head asked jovially.

"Yeah," his neck answered in response, which kinda confused some of the kids a bit that Goofy had two _very_ different voices, but whatever. They all saw them flying high in the red-clad Dumbo and Hikaru looking quite ecstatic as he held his arms out excitedly (though Haruhi tried pulling him in for safety reasons, but she did love seeing him enjoying the ride).

* * *

After Dumbo, the 'date' commenced and Hikaru and Haruhi went on several more easy rides, including It's a Small World, Snow White, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, The Haunted Mansion, Buzz Lightyear (which Hikaru creamed her at), and Star Jets (A/N: Known as Astro Orbitor in America) just to name a few, and of course Hikaru's childhood favorite that could be found at any park, the Merry-Go-Round. It goes without saying that the park went beyond his expectations and they both did have a blast.

Hikaru was thrilled that their day together without the rest of the club went so well. He was definitely in perfect euphoria by the end of the day. He was sure Haruhi had to be falling for him now!

Haruhi had a great time as well and could even admit to herself that she didn't feel weird around him or scared anymore. Though he was still the same mischievous Hikaru he'd always be, she'd also admit that he was more enjoyable to be around today. But unlike him, she was far from thinking about falling in love with him, or just the idea of love. She was too busy thinking about her own babies before putting her own desires first anymore. Plus, with all the fun they were having, by the time they got back to the room, she only then realized she didn't tell him! It was a shame, considering there were many perfect moments when he was perfectly happy and at peace.

_'Dammit. It'll be okay, it'll work it. Just wait again for the perfect moment, 'cause it'll come,' _she kept reminding herself, not wanting to forget again.

Once they got back to the room, everyone was now free (and healed, in Tamaki's case) and prepping for the ball at the park that night. Everyone was quite content with how their plan was playing out so far, but knowing Kyoya, it wasn't gonna stop there, even if she sadly didn't tell him and the whole not-being-able-to-go-on-certain-rides-so-she'll-HAVE-to-tell-him part completely failed. Tonight's ball would be perfect, and he knew it, they all just needed to time it right once again.

To Kyoya's content, they were all able to recycle the Victorian era costumes they wore on the last night of the Ouran Fair so that they'd match with Haruhi's dress. They were done rather quickly in comparison to Haruhi, but needless to say that once she came out of her room fully dressed, they were all mezmerized by her beauty and radiance! (And that was honestly more than just the spotlights shining on her from out of nowhere). They were all sparkly-eyed and drooling at her feet (except Mori who kept his composure, though he was enjoying it all just as much, and Kyoya who was snapping away with his camera). She just lightly chuckled at them and they were ready to return to the park.

This was it, she had a feeling that this might be it. She'd have to tell him now. She couldn't believe that, while her dress still fits fine, he couldn't tell that it definitely tightened a bit near her mid-section. She figured he probably doesn't even think about that, and that would be rude anyway, so whatever. But she knew it would have to be tonight, no doubt. She wasn't gonna be scared anymore. If they could somehow get alone during the ball at a quiet place, it would probably be perfect even, just the right place and in just the happiest mind set.

Hikaru couldn't explain it, but she looked even more radiant than the first time he saw her, like this time, she was...glowing, he'd say. But either way, he knew something this time and he wasn't denying it any longer after he saw her in her hands-down best costume to date:

_'That tears it. I'm in love, and Kaoru was right the whole time. She's my world now and I have to make sure I treat her so. After the surprise I'll give her tonight, she just has to be mine and we'll live happily ever after, just as all these other princesses did, except our story is real and it'll be even better!'_

Now, while Hikaru obviously has nothing but good intentions, who's to say that all surprises are good, or always end well even? Who's to say they don't ever end in disaster or that no one ever gets hurt maybe?


	9. How Does It Feel

(A/N: OMG, I was SO happy when I woke up this morning and saw some of the really nice things you guys [including a couple new reviewers] said! I love you guys so frickin' much! Okay, I think partially why it was harder for me to update recently was because there was little to no drama [and I have discovered that whoever said drama is easier to write than humor is so right], but sadly, that's all coming to an end with this chapter [which I was anxious to write, which is why it came so quickly]...so enjoy!)

* * *

"Welcome, Disney goers, to our first annual Tokyo Disneyland Cinderella Ball. We hope you all enjoy yourselves as you bask in the glory of the beauty of our own Cinderella Castle in the lovely evening sky and all you ladies cosplaying as not just Cinderella, but any of the numerous and always lovely princesses as you take your first dance steps right in the beauty of our gardens right outside the castle. Now, the only rule is that you guys have an orderly conduct and all rides are still operational until the stroke of midnight. And lastly, enjoy!"

Everyone applauded as the MC/DJ finished up his intro and began playing lively music. There were already several ladies there along with their dates, but they all turned to see our always gorgeous host club enter the vicinity, which made said ladies all starry-eyed at their beauty. They must _have_ to be working it _everywhere_ they go, don't they?

"Oh, just look at all these wonderous beauties, admiring the king just as he, his princess, and supporting cast arrive! What a momentous night this will be!" Tamaki announced, though he miserably failed at getting the attention he expected...

"Yeah, yeah, you can admire all the beauty you want. We'll catch you later, Tono. Come on, Haruhi!" Hikaru said as he dragged her with him to the dance floor. Kyoya was nearby writing stuff in his book and Honey and Mori were at the food tables. Tamaki, since they were outside (and therefore, there technically aren't any corners), went to sulk in front of a rose bush.

"How cold the world can be towads its rightful king, Mommy..."

"Suck it up, Daddy." That remark in itself struck Tamaki, burning him to a crisp, though it wasn't like Kyoya really cared. "Just look at our darling daughter. She and Hikaru, with any hope, might finally hit it off tonight."

Kyoya motioned his pen over to the dance floor where Hikaru was kind of spazzing out in an attempt to look good dancing while Haruhi nervously tried to follow, but she certainly looked entertained and like she was, in getting past any uncomfortableness, enjoying it. Tamaki got out of his emo-ness to watch them with Kyoya.

"Oh, I hope you're right. 'Cause if he breaks her heart, I'll break him, that demon! He'll be lucky if I don't kick him out!" Tamaki swore, gripping Kyoya's sleeve in his mini rage. Though Tamaki was far from aware of it (and it was better that way), the rest of the club had a tendency to side with Kyoya more often, so Hikaru was pretty much safe no matter what. So much for the king's power...

Everyone there, inlcuding the host club, was greatly enjoying his or herself. While Hikaru pretty much hogged Haruhi the entire time, Tamaki easily found a few other girls to dance with and have a good time with. (How typical.) After a while, Haruhi was worn out from all the dancing way before anyone else, considering she's been getting tired more easily lately. When it was just about an hour to midnight, she found a nearby chair next to the drink table and dropped right down into it panting hard, grabbing a cup of water and downing it quickly.

"Come on, Haruhi! This night has been awesome! We have to enjoy every moment of it before it's all over!" Hikaru exclaimed after running over to where she was sitting. She was surprised that he looked so happy and still so energetic.

"One minute, Hikaru. I just wanna rest for a second," she said, grabbing another cup.

"Okay, but seriously, I don't know why Kaoru and I never got to come here before! This place really IS the happiest place on Earth! I gotta say, I don't know if I've ever had so much fun before! It's just too bad he never got to see how great it is, 'cause I know he'd love it here as well." Both of them suddenly started feeling sad again, just thinking about Kaoru was enough to do it.

"Uh, Hikaru!" Haruhi said quickly, trying to change the subject. "If it's okay with you, um, I just wanted to take a peaceful walk through the nearby gardens and didn't wanna go alone, so..." She was shocked to see how his face suddenly lit up before she could even finish her sentence.

"Oh, I'd love to accompany you, Haruhi! Whatever you want!" He then grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the crowd of people. Not exactly gentlemanly, but this was Hikaru's way of doing things, she thought.

After rushing away from the dance floor and everyone, they finally slowed down. Once they were surely alone and away from all the noise, they started walking peacefully through the gardens together. For a bit, they were both totally silent, just enjoying the tranquility of their walk. Well, they tried to, but both of them were still nervous as hell about just the two of them. This was really the very first time that the two of them have been completely, 100% _**alone**_with not one other person nearby. This thought only made the air somewhat more tense, but Haruhi was determined this time to just tell him!

"Hmm, these roses are nice, aren't they? Kinda like the ones at school?" she asked as they continued on. So much for just telling him...

"Yeah, I guess, but Tono's more into that than me, not that there's anything wrong with that," he said back, trying hard _not_ to say anything wrong.

"Yeah, I guess." _'Come on, already! Stop avoiding it with small talk! Just say it: "Hikaru, a while ago, you raped me, but don't worry. I completley forgive you and you shouldn't feel bad, but I am pregnant." Why is that so hard? Just tell him!'_

They eventually reached a veranda covered in vines with even more roses growing along them. They sat down on a bench within it. Haruhi took a deep breath and was ready to say something again, but as she turned her head to look at him, she saw him holding a single, beautiful yellow rose right in front of her.

"I know it's kinda cheap of me to just pick one out of the bush, but this one in particular matches your dress so well." He gave her a small, nervous-looking smile. She just sat there speechless for a sec.

"Oh, wow...you're right," was all that could come out. He just lightly chuckled before tearing the stem off and tried to position it in her hair so that her hair band would hold it in place. She held her head down so it'd be easier.

"It looks perfect. You look perfect." _'Oh man, I hope that didn't sound too corny! But she looks great. Everything going fine now, so stop worrying!' _

She lightly blushed as his compliment and was finally about to say something again, but then a ballad, even from where they were standing, could be heard. They recognized the song as none other than 'Kanau Nara'. Hikaru saw another opportunity nicely come his way, while Haruhi was slightly annoyed that little things kept getting in her way of telling him.

"You know, that night of the Ouran Fair, I had broken my arm, so I wasn't able to dance with you...would it be okay if we had that dance right now?" Hikaru asked nervously as he got up in front of her and held out his hand, being a gentleman for once in his life.

Haruhi just sat there without a word again for a moment, then, smiling genuinely, responded. "Sure, I mean it'd only be fair for every host club member to get one."

Hikaru smiled right back at her. She took his hand and he helped get her up. They started to dance slowly as the song played. Considering he already knew and she was forced to learn before that one party back in spring, their dancing didn't look too shabby, with the exception of Haruhi messing up a couple times and mashing his feet into the ground.

"Oh man, I'm sorry!" she would apologize sincerely, trying not to laugh.

"Oh no, don't worry about it," he said, almost laughing as well.

They both couldn't help but smile and enjoy the moment. About halfway through the song, Haruhi realized that it was now or never. Her smile disappeared and she unconsciencely rested her head on top of his chest and tightened her grip around his neck. He was a bit taken aback, but he secretly enjoyed it and slowed down so she'd feel more comfortable, also gripping her more tightly. Eventually, they were almost at a complete standstill when Hikaru could feel his chest getting somewhat wet.

"Haruhi, what's wrong? You didn't hurt my foot that badly," he said, trying to joke about it a little to make her feel better.

"No, it's just...I really need to tell you something," she said, sniffling a little, not lifting her head off of his chest.

"Well, go ahead. You can tell me anything." Haruhi felt more assured by the hint of concern in his voice, but she was terrified. This was it. No turning back now.

"Okay, what it is...is that-"

"Attention park goers, the ball will be ending in exactly a half hour, so make sure you get in your last dances and rounds on our many fantastic Tokyo Disneyland rides!" The MC/DJ announced, completely pissing off Haruhi, but she refused to show it.

"Oh my God, I almost forgot! Haruhi, I have a big surprise for you before we leave tonight!" Hikaru exclaimed out of nowhere. "Come on! We have to hurry! You can tell me whatever it was once we're done with your surprise! It should only be about ten minutes, then the rest of the time is yours!" He then blindfolded Haruhi (where he got the blindfold, no clue...) before grabbing her tightly by the wrist again and pulling her right out of the gardens before she could object.

_'You can't be serious! Okay, calm down. He's obviously very excited about whatever he's about to show you, so go along with it. It can't be that bad, can it?'_

"Hikaru! Can you at least tell me where we're going?" Haruhi pleaded as he kept guiding her to wherever they were headed. She couldn't see a thing, and that's exactly what he wanted.

"No! That'll ruin everything! But don't worry, this'll be unforgettable, I can promise you that!" _'She'll definitely freak out initially, but I know that once she goes on Splash Mountain again, she'll see there's nothing to be afraid of and rediscover how much fun these kinds of rides are!'_

* * *

"Mommy! I can't find my little girl _anywhere_! Even if she would prefer to hang out with that devil, she could've had at least one dance with her own father before the night ended!" Tamaki whined at Kyoya's feet when it was about twenty to midnight.

The whole night, Kyoya barely moved an inch. He found a nice chair to relax in as he observed the ball from where he was, but more importantly, was observing HikaHaru to see how things were going. He was very pleased with how well things were going with them, and being the smartass he is, had a good feeling Haruhi would finally tell him. He felt almost somewhat anxious when he saw them leave to go to the gardens all alone; he had a feeling it was time, but they still hadn't come back yet. He wasn't concerned at all, well, not yet anyway. Besides Hikaru and Tamaki probably freaking out initially over the whole ordeal, nothing could've gone wrong that night.

Well, even the ever elusive and intelligent Shadow King is merely human, despite popular belief otherwise.

"Calm down, you big idiot. I'm sure everything's going fine. In fact, maybe even better than we expected. But just relax. They'll be back soon enough and things will be okay," Kyoya said confidently, smiling as he kept writing. Tamaki just sat their and continued to whine quietly next to him. Kyoya was surprised when he felt his phone in his heavy coat's pocket ring. _'Hmm, that's unusual. It's pretty late to be getting any calls at this time.' _"Hello?"

"Kyoya-sempai! You have to help me!" Haruhi yelled from the other line, sounding like she was sobbing almost. Kyoya had to hold his phone slightly away from his ear so he wouldn't lose his hearing. Tamaki, along with Honey and Mori who were at a nearby table, recognized her voice instantly and hurried over to Kyoya to listen. "This is terrible! I tried to tell Hikaru, but-"

"Calm down, Haruhi! Explain _calmly_what's going on!" Kyoya commanded her.

"Okay, I'm sorry, but Hikaru tricked me into going on Splash Mountain and he won't let me off! He wouldn't let me take the blinfold off until the ride had already started and now it's too late!" she cried, which made everyone else slightly gasp.

"Okay, remain calm, Haruhi! Stress isn't good for you, especially in your state. Just stay calm until we arrive. How far are you guys along the ride?"

"We already went down the huge drop!" Kyoya smacked himself in his head. That was not good at all. "I'm scared something happened to the-"

"Haruhi, you should put your phone away! You don't want it to fall into the water! And you can't admit that that wasn't fun!" Hikaru said loud enough for everyone to hear over the phone.

"Hikaru, you're gonna pay for going against Haruhi's wishes, you dirty demon!" Tamaki yelled into the phone after swiping it out of Kyoya's hands, but Kyoya impatiently snatched it back.

"Disregard that threat, please. Don't worry, Haruhi! We'll be their asap with an ambulence!"

"Okay, but please hurry!" she cried one more time before she and Kyoya each hung up.

Kyoya squeezed his phone in his hand in frustration before dialing an ambulence. Everyone stayed silent until the park's own ambulence arrived, then they all jumped into it asap. The ride to Splash Mountain would hopefully not be too long.

This was not something Kyoya planned for at all. He was so sure everything would work out, but now both of the babies could be in danger just because of Hikaru's- their own _father's_ignorance. Kyoya partially wanted to blame Haruhi for just not telling him earlier, but he knew she intended on doing so and that it wasn't her fault that he tricked her. On the other hand, he also wanted to completely blame Hikaru, especially since Haruhi kept telling him she didn't want to go on it, but like Hikaru's _really _at fault just because he didn't know. Kyoya quickly realized that this was no time to play the blame game. He needed to worry about any lives being in danger.

Honey and Mori were both worrying just as much as Kyoya, but while Mori didn't show it (like usual), Honey was wailing hard, but thankfully refrained from screaming about how hoped the babies weren't dead.

Now while all three of them were scared out of their minds, Tamaki, though he was hoping Haruhi wasn't sad anymore, didn't get _at all_why everyone was freaking out about someone possibly being dead or harmed. But being the dense idiot he is, it didn't occur to him once that they were all hiding something from him. He figured they were all just worrying even more than him about Haruhi, which he thought would _never_ happen!

Once they arrived at the ride's entrance, they all looked out the window to see Haruhi crouched on the ground sobbing while Hikaru was obviously trying hard to comfort her, but to no success obviously. Kyoya jumped right out of the ambulence and ran straight to Haruhi with two paramedics who were wheeling out a gurney.

"Haruhi, are you alright?" Kyoya crouched down to her level and tried to asked her comfortingly, but she couldn't bring herself to stop the tears, though she tried. "Hikaru, what the hell happened? Is anyone hurt?"

"I don't know! I didn't mean to do anything wrong! I just remembered her saying how much she loved this ride when she was little, so I thought that if I just got her to go on it again, she'd get over her fear of these kinds of rides and enjoy them again!" Hikaru explained, kind of freaking out as the paramedics carefully lifted Haruhi onto the gurney and wheeled her into the ambulence.

"Ugh, Hikaru," Kyoya growled, smacking himself. "She wasn't afraid to go on them, she just physically is unable to go on them for now!"

"What are you talking about, Kyoya-sempai? She never told me anything like that! If I had known she wasn't physically okay to go on, of course I wouldn't have made her go on! What's even wrong with her?" Hikaru demanded, almost on the verge of tears himself. Kyoya could see that he really didn't mean any harm, but he obviously was still in the dark. Very rarely was the Shadow King ever stumped like this, but he couldn't just blow all it right here.

"I'm sorry, Hikaru, but that's something that Haruhi will want to tell you herself. I'm sure she'd want to tell you as soon as we get her checked up. Just relax and go to your hotel room, then I'm positive she'll tell you then, because it's a bigger deal than you could imagine." Hikaru just stared at his sempai in a mix of shock and fear, not comprehending the severity of everything. He started to a bit more once Kyoya actually placed his hand on Hikaru's shoulder. "I promise we'll make sure she's okay. We'll all see you in a bit."

With that, Kyoya slowly walked away and back into the ambulence. He shut the doors hard and the vehicle took off, leaving Hikaru all alone to absorb what the hell just happened.

_'No, you can't be serious! This night was supposed to be perfect! I had no clue she had any sort of medical condition! Wait...was that what she was trying to tell me earlier? What could even be wrong with her? She couldn't possibly be dying, could she? No, I don't think there's anything fatal that exists that could be aggravated by rides. Ugh, this is all just so horrible! All I wanted was to do was show how much I care about and love her! I just hope I didn't really do anything wrong...'_

As Hikaru was sadly thinking all this, he started heading back to his hotel room, preparing to hear the worst thing she could tell him once she was discharged from the park's medical center. He also thought about how much he needed his flask right now.

Little did he know (or nothing at all did he know) that his drinking is the thing he is doing wrong and the thing that caused all this in the first place.

* * *

Once the rest of the host club arrived at the park's medical center, Kyoya was able to get Haruhi checked up right away. As the center's doctors were checking up on her to make sure both babies were okay, the rest of them were waiting outside of the room anxiously leaning against the adjacent wall, wanting to know the results. Of course though, no one was fretting even more than Tamaki, who was pacing back in forth, his bad aura very obvious and nearly visible (which is pretty weird).

"Tamaki, you need to stop pacing. It's giving me a headache and none of us needs the stress," Kyoya groaned, surprisngly not jotting down any of this, because for once, he was more concerned with someone else's well being than getting the dirt on him or her.

"Yeah, Tama-chan, we're all worried, but we just have to wait. I'm sure Haru-chan will be perfectly fine!" Honey assured him, trying to keep his usually perky face on, despite the worry.

"Hmm," Mori grunted in agreement.

"Oh, I know, but this is all **killing**me! Poor Haruhi must have something wrong with her, otherwise going on such a fun ride wouldn't have hurt her! I can't take it anymore! I'm coming, my precious little girl!" Out of nowhere, Tamaki stopped his pacing and ran right through the doors to Haruhi's room.

"Tamaki, no!" Kyoya called after him, going into the room as well, but Tamaki was already in, crying by Haruhi's bedside.

"Haruhi, honey, are you okay? Daddy's here to make it all better," Tamaki said, trying to sound comforting. Haruhi, who was lying in the somewhat reclined bed in a hospital gown, narrowed her eyes at him irritatingly.

"I'm fine, sempai, but I thought I told you to wait outside until I was done. So please go," she said, not happy in the least that he just barged in. She was far from ready for him to find out since Hikaru didn't even know yet.

"Yeah, Tamaki, we need to let Haruhi be until the doctors are done with her, so let's-" Kyoya tried to pry Tamaki off the side of Haruhi's bed, but Tamaki just whined and held on. Kyoya and Haruhi froze and their faces paled when one of the doctors came into the room and interrupted the little awkward moment.

"Well, Fujioka-san, your tests have just come back," the doctor began after coming in, smiling while she was looking at the files in hand. "I would say you're good to go! You're in perfect shape and both of your babies are perfectly healthy! It was very lucky that nothing happened after you went down such a big drop, and it is also a relief that you're only three months along! I'll go check you out right now."

The lightbulb on the far right has begun flickering.

With that, the doctor exited the room, leaving Haruhi and Kyoya (who finally released the king) nervously turning their heads towards Tamaki, who, needless to say, looked shocked. Like seriously shocked, no weird faces going on for once. He had paled just as much as the other two and slowly turned his head towards Haruhi, who gulped really hard.

"Haruhi...what's going on?" he asked quietly. It broke Haruhi's heart that he looked so sad and concerned, and that it was because he had to find out this way. "Are you...are you really...pregnant...with twins?"

"I'm sorry, Tamaki-sempai...I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier..." she replied, tears forming in her eyes again. Kyoya just watched in silence, also feeling sad. "I'm so sorry if I've disappointed you. I was raped a few months ago and I was going to tell you and I'm sorry that-" Before Haruhi could finish, Tamaki just grabbed her and embraced her tightly, but unlike the _many_times he's already done so, this was more of real emotion for once. "Oh, sempai..."

"Stop apologizing, Haruhi...it's not your fault. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I swear on behalf of the host club that we'll be there for you, but please don't keep anything from us anymore," he said, beginning to choke up himself.

"I promise, sempai. No one could have done anythng. And thank you so much!" she cried hysterically as she hugged him back.

She was expecting the entire time that he'd blow up, but this was beyond better than she expected. She knew how much he cared about her and how desperately he tried showing it (almost to the point where she couldn't take it), but this, she appreciated. Kyoya smiled as he watched them embrace for a bit, but the moment was rudely interrupted when Honey and Mori budged in. Kyoya rolled his eyes, ready to hear Honey rejoice over Haruhi being discharged, but was kind of shocked when he noticed Mori walking up to him, looking more grim than usual.

"Kyoya, I should have let you know sooner, but I found this in Hikaru's bag just before we left for the ball." Kyoya looked at Mori curiously as he was digging out something in his pocket. Haruhi and Tamaki let go of each other and everyone went wide-eyed when they saw him take out none other than Hikaru's flask, which Kyoya furiously swiped right out of Mori's hand.

"He cannot be serious!" Kyoya yelled, glaring right at the dreaded object. "It's bad enough that this...this dreaded liquid messed him up enough to make him rape Haruhi, but now he apparently refuses to quit!"

The flickering lightbulb has now turned on completely.

"Kyoya-sempai, he still doesn't know! Please don't-"

"What the hell! Hikaru did this to you! I'm going to **murder **that devil with my bare hands!" Tamaki interrupted her, screaming to the heavens. Everyone could see the flames of hell burning in his eyes. Haruhi was terrified for what was to come, and Hikaru wasn't prepared at all...


	10. Don't Tell Me

(A/N: I'm very happy that you guys love this story so much and are anxious, but I'll apologize right now. I'm VERY sorry! I just know you'll all be after me with pitchforks and torches after reading this end of this chapter. Keep in mind that I had all the events in this story somewhat planned out beforehand and I already kinda know everything else that'll happen. I didn't just suddenly decide to do this out of nowhere for the sake of pissing you guys off and/or making you guys sad, I even considered doing this the last chapter, but decided to wait to do it until now. But please enjoy anyway!)

* * *

_The days spent on the Ootoris' private island were going by so fast for our host club. Well, like they say, time flies when you're having fun, and they certainly were. Hikaru and Kaoru were included, but during one of the last days of the stay, they were getting pretty bored since they had pretty much done all they could think of. At the moment, they were just sitting at a table on the beach. Hikaru watched jealously (though he wouldn't admit that 'jealously' part) as Tamaki, after much begging, had Haruhi all to himself, playing in the water. How easily their Tono is amused. As Kaoru saw all this, he also caught sight of a couple jet skis in the water free for them to use, belonging to the Ootoris, nearby. He smiled as an idea came to mind._

_"Hey, Hikaru," he said, poking his brother to get his attention. "Check it out! We haven't tried Kyoya-sempai's jet skis yet!" Hikaru turned his head towards where Kaoru was pointing and he began smiling as well._

_"You're right! But why should we be the only ones to enjoy them?" He then turned his head back towards Haruhi and Tamaki. Tamaki sure looked like he was having a blast with his daughter. Perfect moment for Hikaru to ruin. "Hey Haruhi! Wanna go on the jet skis with me and Kaoru?" he yelled at her to get her attention._

_"No way am I letting my fragile little girl on one of those death traps!" Tamaki yelled back, glaring heavily at the twins, who just smiled back. They also started laughing when Tamaki started crying when Haruhi started coming their way._

_"Sorry, sempai, but why not? They aren't death traps," Haruhi said indifferently, turning away from him once she was in front of the twins, who were (in their heads) rejoicing in victory! "But I think to be safe, I should ride with one of you guys."_

_"Or even better, Haruhi-" Hikaru began._

_"-why don't the three of us-" Kaoru continued._

_"-just ride one all together?"_

_"Uh...I think that might be kind of a tight fit, though," she said bluntly. But she ended up losing that fight and was squished in the middle of them as Hikaru drove off into the ocean._

_He and the other two were having fun driving around for a while, but that fun wasn't going to live forever (or any longer at all), sadly..._

* * *

_'Man, I hope she's okay. I have no idea what the hell went wrong, or what was wrong with her to beging with,' _Hikaru kept thinking as he took the long, lonely walk back to his hotel room.

He couldn't help but worry in his head over what could've happened while he was walking back. Haruhi, the girl he loved and planned on confessing to soon, apparently has something physically wrong with her and he was responsible for potentially aggravating whatever her problem is! But as a whole, it wasn't really his fault; he had no idea since she never said anything, though she was going to before he dragged her away to the ride. Had he only waited one minute. One minute. That could've been the difference in this whole mess. But he couldn't do anything now except wait for them to return with hopefully good news about whatever her condition could possibly be.

Once he got back to his room, he took off his heavy Victorian era costume and tossed it right onto his bed. After he took a quick shower and did all the other annoying nighttime stuff (brushing teeth, flossing, etc.), he got into a pair of clean shorts. (The shorts being the only thing he wears to bed, he obviously forgot he'd be hopefully seeing Haruhi later. Way to think ahead, Hikaru...) He then just sat on his bed, still exhausted by the day events. After just sitting there resting for a bit, he wanted something in particular to drink. In his desire to get some vodka, he went back to one of his bags to look for his flask, but he couldn't feel it in its regular pocket.

_'Hey, where is it? I'm positive this was where I was keeping it. That's weird.'_

He kept looking through the other pockets of the same bag, but to no luck. Starting to get antsy, he got more frantic as he went through every little opening of every bag he had brought, but with no results. He began sweating heavily and panting hard as he began feeling slight withdrawal, which he was not used to. It had been several hours since he last had anything to drink.

"Come on! Where the hell is it? This is so retarded!" he screamed, not out loud intentionally. He held his head in his hands out of his severe anxiety and was just about to tear the whole room apart, until...

"Looking for this..._Hikaru_?" Hikaru's look of anxiousness was replaced by one of anger and irritation. He knew that voice anywhere and should've known that this person of all people would find a way to get into his room so discreetly and go through his stuff just for the hell of it.

_"Kyoya-sempai..." _Hikaru snarled, but like that would phase Kyoya Ootori of all people.

He turned his head slowly around and expected to see him at his doorway holding his flask to taunt him almost. Kyoya was, just as Hikaru was expecting, but he was scared out of his mind when he saw Mori (looking just as grim), Honey (in tears), and none other than Tamaki (who was staring at the ground, refusing to even look at him). He almost wished Haruhi were here as well, but he'd hate to see her reaction to his disgusting addiction.

Hikaru knew now that he was in trouble. Like Tamaki always tried to stress, they were a family and they all cared for one another. When Kaoru died, they all mourned with him, but after the funeral, he refused to let any of them help him any further, which only broke them apart even more. Now they all knew. They knew what he was doing to himself and that it could kill him. They could possibly lose another family member and he knew they weren't going to let him continue on. He was torn apart on the inside from just looking at the two glares and the teary eyes he was recieving that very moment, but Tamaki not looking at him at all with nearly no emotion in his face was the worst. He was certainly the most hurt out of them, but Hikaru had no idea that (and furthermore, why) Tamaki had a deep desire to put him in a hole next to where his brother is!

Unfortunately, while Hikaru had never felt so guilty before in his entire life, his guilt wasn't enough to rid him of his disgusting addiciton. Once he got over the shock of seeing everyone, his eyes targeted the flask in Kyoya's hand.

"Give it back, Kyoya-sempai!" he yelled as he started charging in his direction, but Kyoya still wasn't phased and was somewhat expecting such a reaction.

"Stop this right now, Hikaru. You're going to kill yourself," Mori commanded him firmly, grabbing him tightly by the arm before he could tackle Kyoya.

"Let go, Mori-sempai! It's my body and I'll do whatever I want with it!" Hikaru exclaimed angrily as he struggled to free himself from Mori's grip, but come on, like he's really strong enough to do that. Mori didn't budge one bit and kept looking down on him.

It was so unusual that Tamaki of all people was staying so quiet for once and wasn't strangling Hikaru at this moment, but he was trying his best to stay calm like Kyoya said. It wouldn't do anything for Tamaki to just kill him. Plus, he'd definitely regret it later anyway.

"Please cut it out, Hika-chan! We all love you and don't want you to get hurt or hurt anyone else! We're begging you, Hika-chan!" Honey cried, clutching his little Usa-chan tightly as his tears ran down his face. This only made Hikaru feel worse, but he looked away as his own tears kept falling.

"All of you guys just go away and leave me alone! I'm not hurting any of you so I don't get why you care so much! Just get the hell away from me!"

That did it. The words 'I'm not hurting any of you' made Tamaki finally snap. He had had enough pity on Hikaru and spared him long enough because of his grief, but he obviously had no clue. No clue that he did in fact hurt them all, but one of them he did actually hurt physically and he had no idea.

**"You bastard!"**

In a flash before anyone could even see him do so, Tamaki swung his fist right across Hikaru face. The other three looked at him in complete astonishment. There king had never looked so miserable and furious at the same time before. He panted hard after he hit his mark and was choking back his own tears as well after pulling his arm back. Tamaki, though he had a tendency to go off easily, would never hurt a fly, but this was serious. They understood Tamaki's actions, and while it was pretty uncalled for, none of them said anything. Hikaru needed a wake-up call, not one this violent, but it was already done and he got it.

When Hikaru recovered from the blow, he carefully turned towards Tamaki with his now bloody nose and saw how hurt he looked. He usually enjoyed putting his sempai in as much misery as possible, but those situations were always just out of fun.

"Tono...I'm sorry..." Hikaru whisepered quietly, nearly inaudible, but they could all hear him and see how sad and sincere his own expression was as he tried looking Tamaki in the eye. Tamaki had trouble, but he looked back at him. The tenseness in the air suddenly increased tenfold.

"We all need to discuss some things. Sit down, Hikaru, unless you need us to use brutal force," Kyoya said, a little more calmly and less angrily this time. He pointed to Honey, who had a rope under the arm that wasn't holding Usa-chan. Hikaru exhaled and obeyed.

"What's to talk about? My life's totally screwed up and Haruhi probably hates me now because I could've hurt her, even though I have no clue what's wrong with her," he said bitterly.

Kyoya (who had his dreaded black book handy) and Tamaki grabbed the two chairs by the little table in the room to sit in, Honey took a seat next to him, and Mori just leaned against one of the walls. Everyone was just kind of looking around while Kyoya, looking Hikaru straight in the eye, was trying to get through to him. Hikaru couldn't help but sweat in his nervousness and withdrawal, which was becoming more painful as he watched Kyoya hold the flask. His and everyone else's eyes widened when they saw Kyoya screw the cap off the flask and pour as much vodka in it as it could hold before handing it to Hikaru, who swiped it right out of his hand and downed it immediately. Everyone looked at Kyoya like he was insane.

"He can't just stop drinking all together, guys. His body could be severely harmed from withdrawal, so we have to do this slowly. From now on, he'll have to start drinking less and less each day and tomorrow we can see what pills will help, and I'll schedule an appointment to see what damage has been done already," Kyoya stated firmly, pouring him one more cap-full (which he inhaled as well) before screwing the cap back on and setting it down on the nightstand.

"Thank you, Kyoya-sempai. I appreciate it. Now can you guys leave? I feel like crap now."

"Hikaru, I promise you that everything will be okay and that they pretty much are okay now. I get that alcohol must have helped you through these difficult times, but if you keep up this filthy habit, it's questionable whether it's safe for you to be around Haruhi anymore." At Kyoya's statement, Hikaru himself went wide-eyed and everyone felt their own hearts break further as they saw him drop his head into his hands and his tears fall onto the carpet. They could see him shaking as his weeping became louder and louder.

"No...I'm begging you. You...you can't just take her away from me. I...I need her. I don't have anyone else as important to me anymore. I love and care about her, you guys and I never meant to do anything to hurt her. I...I...I love her so much! And I mean that...I mean that I might be in love with her even!" he tried choking out as he kept sobbing. Everyone was stunned to finally here him confess. It was just a shame that she wasn't actually here to hear it.

"Hikaru, I'm sorry, but-"

"You really do, don't you Hikaru?" Tamaki asked quietly, interrupting Kyoya. That stunned everyone as well, even bringing Hikaru to look at him himself. They would've expected him to attack Hikaru and confess his own love. "I understand, I could tell that you do when watching you two tonight. And I think that's a wonderful thing for both of you. As her father, I think it'd be okay, right Mom? He just needs to learn more and show how much he's willing to go through with her. And I'm sorry for punching you. You're not a bastard; you didn't realize what you did and it's in no way your fault. This is a terrible situation and we all need love when going through it."

While Hikaru was still trying to stop sobbing and Tamaki still looking grim, they both felt slightly better on the inside. Everyone couldn't believe that Tamaki would let go as easily as he just did, but that was definitely a good thing, otherwise it'd be messy for sure. And of course, Hikaru had no idea that Tamaki wasn't referring to the Splash Mountain incident at all, but the other one...

"Before we go completely off topic," Kyoya said, starting to get a little too stressed from all of this, but while Haruhi desperately wanted to be the one to tell him about her pregnancy, that didn't mean he couldn't make telling him easier for her by dropping the first bomb. "Hikaru, can you tell me when you started drinking and if you have ever been drunk before?"

Hikaru stopped crying and slightly gasped, not knowing how to really answer that without getting in trouble (even though everyone already knew the answer).

"Um, I started about...a month after the funeral, and I'm guessing that I did actually get drunk that first time, but I've refrained from getting to that point since. I barely remember what it was like, other than after I had a few drinks, I blacked out and woke up at home with the nastiest hangover." Hikaru looked back down at the floor again, but he could hear Kyoya write rapidly.

"Yes...now Hikaru, be honest, where were you when this first drunken incident happened?" Hikaru swallowed hard. He knew that, considering this was Kyoya we're talking about, lying would be pointless. He'd find out eventually and only get angrier then if he lied right now.

"I was...at Haruhi's apartment...I'm sorry I never told any of you this, but that day, I was feeling lonely, so I went over there. Ranka-san let me wait for her there while he or...she had to leave for some shift, so I was alone for a long time. Then when I was looking for something to eat or drink, I came across his...beer cabinet." Everyone briefly turned to look at him. Kyoya even did, stopping for a second before continuing to write. This was no less uncomfortable than when he was talking about all this with Haurhi weeks ago. How time flies, even when you aren't having fun. "You guys see in the media all the time how drinking makes people feel better, so I thought why not? I started inhaling whatever was in the bottles, and it felt great. I didn't feel nearly as sad for once in so many weeks. I didn't think at all about Kaoru and I didn't want that feeling to go, so I kept drinking and drinking until...I don't know what ended up happening, but I'm guessing I got myself drunk and I don't remember anything else, other than waking up in my own bed at home. After that, I never binged again and I'm guessing that'd be the only time I was ever drunk to the point where I can't remember a thing."

"Hmm I see," Kyoya grunted as he kept scribbling away. This was all just as he and everyone else thought. This would only make telling him harder, but for his and Haruhi's sakes, it was essential that he dropped the first bomb now. "And you don't remember seeing Haruhi that entire time?"

"No, which was too bad because I really wanted to see her that day..." Hikaru stared at his twiddling thumbs nervously as he was starting to stop crying, but he still felt absolutely crappy and yearned to talk to her to see if she was okay now.

"Hikaru," Kyoya began as he lifted his head up to look at Hikaru directly, not writing anymore. Everyone besides Hikaru knew exactly what was coming now, whether Haruhi wanted it this way or not. "You did see Haruhi that day, whether you remember or not. She told me everything, and she knows you drank that day." Hikaru's mouth dropped and he began feeling even worse than crap now. Haruhi knew about it now too, but he especially felt embarassed that she saw him drunk. "While you were drunk, she tried to get you to stop and calm down because your negative feelings of Kaoru's passing were only magnified by your drunkenness, but it didn't work."

_'Come on, Hikaru. Stay strong. Stop with the tears. It's not like you,'_ Hikaru thought to himself, scared for whatever else Kyoya was about to say. He could see him looking sad for the first time ever. _'What else could've happened that even Kyoya-sempai's sad about it?'_

"Now Hikaru, what I'm about to tell you, while you should've known not to drink, wasn't your fault. You weren't aware of what you were doing and Haruhi forgives you now, but while you were under the influence and while she was trying to help you, you..." Kyoya swallowed hard. Everyone else nervously looked at him, also nervous as hell for this moment. Hikaru was trying to mentally prepare himself, but he'd never be prepared for what Kyoya was about to tell him. "You...raped her."

* * *

_'Oh man, that was scary, but I think I might've been worrying over nothing that whole time. I feel bad that I might've scared Hikaru though, but I'll assure him everything's alright tomorrow. ...Oh man! Ugh, now I have to wait until tomorrow to tell him! Why do I keep missing my chance? Come on, it'll be okay...we'll all have a good night's sleep tonight and everything will be okay and I can do it tomorrow at breakfast before we leave. Other than that scare, today and tonight were great and he seems so much better now! But I just wish that he would stop drinking...I'll have to talk to him about that tomorrow as well. Right now, I'm just beyond relieved that both of you are alright. I'm actually starting to get excited about seeing you guys when you're born! I just wish Hikaru knew so he could be excited too...' _Haruhi thought as she smiled down at her stomach and rubbed it with her free hand.

Haruhi thought this once she was back in her room safe and sound. Once she was discharged, they all headed back to the hotel. After much convincing, Tamaki agreed that he wouldn't kill Hikaru and accepted that it wasn't his fault that he raped and impregnated her. They all said goodnight once they arrived and went to their separate rooms for the night. (She was so not aware of the fact that they planned on going over to Hikaru's to confront him though!) Haruhi began stripping out of her Belle dress and was down to her panties and camisole when her cell rang.

_'That's weird. Kinda late, but maybe it's Dad just checking up on me.' _She picked her phone up from the nightstand and didn't recognize the caller ID, but picked it up anyway. "Hello?"

"Fujioka-san? It's me, Dr. Takahashi, from the park's medical center."

"Oh, hi, is there something wrong?" Haruhi asked sitting down on her bed, getting kind of nervous.

"No, don't worry! There's nothing wrong at all! It's just that we had your results mixed up with those of a different patient who is also pregnant at this time! But there's no reason to worry; we found your correct records and there's nothing wrong! I'm just so sorry that there was a mix up."

"Oh my, thank you so much! And don't worry about it, I'm just relieved! But you're sure that you have my correct records now, right?"

"Oh yes! Don't worry, I'm looking at a Haruhi Fujioka's records right now! Both you and your baby look perfectly healthy!"

"Oh, that's such a relief! You had me worried for a sec...wait a minute," Haruhi stopped smiling and her face drained of any color in it. "Um, are you positive it's my records? Because there must be some sort of mix up again. I'm having _twins_. _Two_ bab_ies_. There should be more than one."

"Um, are you sure, Fujioka-san? Because we only found one heartbeat when we were checking you earlier."

"Yes, Dr. Takahashi!" Haruhi exclaimed, starting to feel frantic and wondering what the hell was happening. "I went for my first check-up about a month ago and my own doctor found two babies, two heartbeats! I even have pictures with two fetuses visible in them!"

"...Oh, I see," Takahashi said, almost sadly. Haruhi could recognize the tone.

"Doctor...what's going on? Why was there only one baby?" Haruhi asked as she began to feel tears form in her eyes again, but she wiped them immediately and fought the new ones that kept coming back. _'I don't need this...not now. Please, don't tell me there's only one when this whole time I was told there were two...'_

"...I'm very sorry, Fujioka-san. This kind of thing happens sometimes without anyone even realizing it at first. It's not common, but it does happen."

"What happens? Tell me what happened! I know I shouldn't have gone on Splash Mountain! I-"

"No, Fujioka-san, this had nothing to do with you going on any ride. Since we didn't detect the existence of any other baby at all, it would've had to have happened very shortly after your first appointment and you just didn't have any noticeable miscarriage symptoms." Haruhi's mouth dropped open at the word 'miscarriage' and the tears rolled down her face themselves. "It can happen where one twin ends up being miscarried, but the other in completely unaffected. I'm telling you, this is not something you had any control over. And while you don't want to think of it this way, had that baby survived, there would be a very good chance that it'd develop some kind of disability or disorder because nothing would've happened had it been developing as it should've. Things like this happen for a reason. These kinds of complications are more common in young mothers. Again, I couldn't be more sorry, Fujioka-san." Haruhi was speechless; she couldn't even make herself cry audibly. "Fujioka-san, I'm so sorry and I'm sure this is very hard to understand, but you can't begin to feel more stress. You still have a baby and stress wouldn't be good right now!"

"...But you're sure I still have one, right?" Haruhi choked out finally after some time. Takahashi, trying to be as supportive as possible, refused to hang up until Haruhi was fine...or, as fine as she could be.

"Yes, Fujioka-san, the baby you're still carrying at this moment was perfectly fine. Now I'm sure that you are still sad, but you need to think about the baby you still have right now and put its needs first. I need to go right now. Once again, I'm very sorry. Good night and good luck with your baby."

"...Good night, Dr. Takahashi. And thank you..."

Once she heard the doctor hang up on the other line, Haruhi unintentionally dropped her phone right onto the floor and clutched her abdomen tightly with her other hand. She fell right onto her bed on her side and began sobbing hard into the pillow her face landed in.

She couldn't believe it...though the doctor stressed that it wasn't her fault, she couldn't believe she lost one of her own twins. She was finally starting to feel so excited about having them, and now one of them was just gone. Okay, maybe not _just_ gone, but she was just learning about it now. She knew that Takahashi was right and that she still had the one to think about, but at the moment, she just wanted to sulk.

"Haruhi!" Hikaru called from outside, then without thinking about knocking, just slammed the door open (somehow, even though hotel rooms are locked from the inside), sweating and out of breath.

Right after Kyoya told him about how he raped her, everything went crashing down on him and his sorrow and tears returned, harder than ever. He hadn't felt so much sorrow since the funeral. His first instinct was to sprint to her room right away to apologize, which Kyoya allowed him to do. He couldn't believe he did such a thing to the girl he only wanted to love and care for. He definitely decided that he would give up his habit if it made him hurt Haruhi, his Haruhi. He wanted to let her know asap. But once he saw her lying sideways on her bed, sobbing into her pillow and clutching her slightly exposed stomach so tightly, he was somewhat confused at what was happening and what was wrong now, because Kyoya assured him that she was over the Splash Mountain incident and him raping her.

"Haruhi...what's going on? Why are you crying?" he asked her, slowly walking over to where she was lying. "I thought...Haruhi..." It killed him to see her sobbing like this. Her tears caused by her mood swings was nothing compared to how she looked now.

"Oh...Hikaru...please come here..." she said quietly in between her sobs, just noticing he was there. She had trouble, but she was able to get herself to sit up. He obeyed and carefully sat down next to her, embracing her and (ironically) wrapping his arms around her waist. She began sobbing into his bare chest, similar to the way she did at the ball earlier. "Oh man...it's...I just can't believe it..."

"Shh...I promise, I'm here now and everything will be okay. Now tell me calmly what's wrong. I love you and you can tell me anything," he said, somehow finding a way to stop his own tears. All that he could focus on right now was listening to her. He couldn't even enjoy embracing her; he just wanted her to feel better. Neither of them realized what he just said, but he meant it more out of comfort then as a confession.

"I...I...was pregnant with our twins...and I only now found out that I lost one of them weeks ago...but I have to stop being sad for the sake of the baby we still have..."

Finally, the middle lightbulb has turned on and all five are now lit.

Hikaru stood corrected. Not even at the funeral was he feeling so much sorrow like he was at this very moment, nor did he cry so hard...


	11. I'm with You

(A/N: Aah, I'm so sorry if I made you guys sad with that last chapter! I feel bad and I'm sorry again; reading about how sad you guys got honestly broke my heart! ;_; But please don't worry, everything will end happily! I swear, no more deaths! Anyway, I still love you guys for r&r-ing! This and the last chapter are probably the two most important I think, so this one def took some time because there are so many revalations, but I hope it's okay that it's kinda shorter compared to my other chapters. This was a special chapter, so I didn't really want it to take too long or cram too much into it. Plus, because I do actually have a heart, I tried making it cute and more touching to cheer you guys up! :D)

* * *

_'Oh man, what the hell happened last night? Did Tono knock me outta the park with his baseball bat again, 'cause I feel horrible for some reason...'_

Hikaru woke up with his head killing him the next morning. He groaned as he slowly tried to open his eyes, but it felt like a huge hassle just to do that. It felt like, as he thought, Tamaki smacked him hard with a bat again. Getting past his intial achiness and grogginess, he finally got his eyes opened. They instantly expanded when he saw that he was currently lying the huge, pure white, king-sized bed in _Haruhi's_ hotel room (still shirtless, just to say so) with Haruhi still fast asleep soundly right next to him, facing him as she was lying on her side. The sheet practically flew off of them as he shot up, breathing heavily as he examined all his surroundings. It somewhat shocked him that it was already a quarter past eleven, which was even late for Kyoya. His frantic-looking eyes eventually rested on Haruhi and went from looking frantic to a mix of sadness and concern.

All the things Hikaru learned last night crashed down on him again and if they were solid objects, he would've received enough concussions to get killed by now. His head fell into his hands again as well and he yanked his hair tightly, but he and Haruhi pretty much cried themselves out the night before they finally fell asleep in each others' arms, so nothing came out, even though he felt enough sorrow that that would've been natural. It's pretty obvious that Hikaru was too sad last night to enjoy having her in his arms and was still at this moment to think about how great their 'date' went.

Probably pointless to say that any hard feelings about the Karuizawa incident were now out the window and that incident is not even comparable to what Hikaru had done just recently.

_'Oh my God, it's not fair...how did my life get so screwed up? It's not bad enought that I just lost Kaoru not all that long ago and that I've become an addict, but...to think that...I actually _raped _the girl I just realized I love when all she wanted to do was help me. I hurt her so much...I betrayed my best friends and they've already forgiven me...I don't deserve to have all of them! All this crap I've done is unforgiveable! Okay, so maybe I was depressed because Kaoru's gone, but I shouldn't have been so selfish...I should've showed everyone how much I appreciate them all. I can do that now, but I've hurt them all and I can't take that away..._

_'But Haruhi...she's the most hurt, both physically and emotionally...by _me_! All because of my retarded addiction! Screw the media that practically promotes it, I swear I'm breaking that right now with Kyoya-sempai's help starting today for the sake of myself and everyone around me! But Haruhi...I can't believe all this time...after I actually _sexually assaulted _her for real...Kyoya-sempai assured me that she's forgiven me for everything, and I'm guessing me...raping her...is included. Since I've come back, she's tried acting as normal around me as possible even. I still can't believe it...I can never live this down for the rest of my life! I can't do anything but show her the love I've been trying to this entire time so far, but I know that'll never make up for me _raping _her AND getting her pregnant with TWINS! It wasn't even her fault at all that she got pregnant! And now one of them is gone...'_

Hikaru's mouth then dropped open and he released his red locks. He then remembered the other little tidbit of info that Haruhi told him (probably not the way she was planning to, and it certainly was a sad way to hear it) just when he barged into her room last night: that him raping her left her pregnant...with their _twins_...one of whom has been miscarried. His eyes were still dried out from last night, but if they weren't, he'd be flooding the hotel room right now.

_'Oh...my...God...we still have a baby! She's still pregnant with one of the babies...my baby...our child...__**oh my God!**__'_

It's obvious that this sort of information was hard for Hikaru to wrap his head around, that despite the miscarriage of one of their babies, the other was still developing normally. He or she would (hopefully) be born. He and Haruhi would be parents. Hikaru was trying his best to not freak out loud so Haruhi wouldn't wake up.

_'I bet that's what she kept trying to tell me last night...thank goodness me dragging her on that stupid ride didn't do anything. But now...oh my God, oh my God...we're really gonna have a baby together...I'm actually having a baby...with Haruhi...all because of that stupid drunken incident. I have no clue what the hell is gonna happen...she's like, what, about...uh, I guess our little incident happened back in like, early January, so three months along? We have six months...what the hell, she's only sixteen and I'll be only seventeen by then...well, it's too late now, 'cause I would NEVER even THINK about abortion in a billion years!_

_'Ugh, oh geez...I have no clue what she wants to do. She and Ranka-san are practically broke. There'd be no way she could support a baby or even both of them if she wanted to...hey, what the hell is wrong with me? I could totally provide our kid with plenty to live on! But what if she wants to give him, or her I guess, up for adoption? Wait...what? No way in hell would I ever let that happen! I don't trust a couple of idiots with my own child! I don't care if me and Haruhi are still too young or whatever crap anyone else has to say about it, I'm not giving him or her up no matter what! I know I could find a way to make it work, I just know it. I owe it to Haruhi...I still love her so much...I have to take responsibility for the life I practically forced her to create with me...I'll be this baby's father...and all three of us will be happy...'_

Hikaru took a deep breath as he mentally made his decision, and once Hikaru makes a decision, it's pretty difficult to persuade him otherwise. He is pretty stubborn and immature, after all.

He swallowed hard as he looked back over at Haruhi. After the sorrow they went through last night together, it was practically miraculous that he brought himself to smile again after all the tears they have shed. He couldn't help it; she looked so peaceful as she slept. Still beautiful to him, even with her hair messy and only in her panties and camisole. (Hey, he's already seen her _without_ either of those. No biggie that he sees her this way right now, ya know?) He could literally stare at her for hours, he felt like.

Now while he is honestly far from being a pervert, he noticed for the first time since 're-uniting' with her at school that she, now that he thought about it, was no longer as flat as a board. Obviously, it wasn't due to puberty, but her particular condition and he was well aware of it. She was easily no longer an A-cup and who knew how long the blazer would keep that (or _them_) concealed. Again, he's definitely _not_ a pervert _at all_, but this would certainly make dressing her up more fun.

_'Okay, seriously, think about that later! You'll have all the time in the world to make her girlier clothes that'll showcase her new curves. Oh yeah...I'll get to make her maternity dresses now! Oh, and I'll get to make the baby clothes too! This'll be so much fun and he or she will look so kawaii! Our child will definitely be the best dressed baby ever! ...Again, not important right now, you dummy.'_

As he scanned the rest of her body, he froze when he got to her mid-section. Like her breasts, you wouldn't notice anything with her regular clothes on (at least for right now), but she was in her undies. Though it still wasn't _that _big at only about twelve weeks, her bump was clearly visible to Hikaru. He was just amazed that this was all really happening, but his smile returned as he leaned in closer and absent-mindedly placed his hand on Haruhi's stomach.

_'Wow...I still can't believe this is all real...we're actually having a baby.'_

"Hi, akachan, it's Daddy!" he whispered, actually sounding somewhat excited, but still tried to be quiet. "I promise you that Mommy and I both love you very much and won't give you up so a couple of idiots can have you all to themselves! We love you so, so much and can't wait to see you! You're gonna be so kawaii and Daddy will make sure you're well-dressed!" Hikaru's cocky look was quickly appearing in his facial expression.

"Ugh, man, I'm tired..." Haruhi groaned, stretching out her arms as she yawned. Hikaru just froze, surprised that she just suddenly woke up. Once Haruhi was more awake, she directed her eyes right at him, and they expanded at the site of him. "Hikaru?" she asked, still groggy, but the surprise in her voice was obvious.

"Uh...uh...morning, Haruhi. Sorry if I was invading your personal space!" he apologized, quickly retracting his hand. Haruhi, grasping what was happening, lightly giggled as she sat up and put her own hand on her abdomen. Hikaru went red and began sweating to death.

"It's okay, don't worry about it, Hikaru! They are your babies too!" Realizing what she just said, Haruhi stopped giggling and they both frowned. "Oh yeah...I mean _baby_. I'm still getting used to that." Haruhi looked down, but almost leaped out of her skin as Hikaru crawled over to her on the bed and held her again. Without a word, she slowly wrapped her arms back around him, also out of tears.

"I'm so sorry, Haruhi. It'll be okay though. We can't do anything about it, but we still have a baby and everything will be fine," Hikaru said comfortingly, letting go to kiss her on the forehead. Haruhi was surprised again, but smiled back at him softly.

"I know, thank you so much," she said quietly, looking down as her fingers that were fiddling with the edge of the sheet.

"So..." Hikaru began after they were both just sitting there in silence for a bit. "Um, I couldn't be more sorry Haruhi. I never meant to rape you and do all this to you and I feel like crap because this is all my fault. But I swear, Haruhi, I'm gonna take responsibility for what I did and I'll do absolutely everything I can to help you raise our child together! And I'm also quitting my drinking, starting today! I don't wanna hurt anyone like I did you ever again."

Hikaru looked down in shame, but then Haruhi looked back up at him, not even expecting him to apologize again and be so willing to take responsibility for his actions. After she told him about her pregnancy (and in addition, her miscarriage) last night, they both mourned together in each others' arms. She remembered him saying he was sorry over and over again for raping her because Kyoya told him. She couldn't believe that she actually didn't have any desire to kill him for telling Hikaru, but it made things easier, she guessed. After they got out everything that night, they cried themselves to sleep and slept soundly, still in each others' embrace. Haruhi didn't know how to explain it, but she had to admit that something felt very good and comforting and overall just right about being in his arms, like he was really protecting her and loving her. She felt that same feeling all yesterday when she was with him on the 'date' and during the ball. She loved that feeling.

But again, romance is obviously the last thing on her mind right now.

"Hikaru, I...I can't tell you how much that means to me, and I swear that I've forgiven you for everything a long time ago because while the drinking was a stupid idea, I know you'd never mean to do what you did. And I know you didn't mean any harm last night. And I'm glad that you're giving up your addiction and that you want to take responsibility. I love you like I love all the other guys." Haruhi's words made Hikaru look up at her and light up again, though he wished she loved him slightly more than them. "But...but I don't know if keeping the baby is such a great idea and-"

"**NO!**" Hikaru almost made Haruhi go deaf and have a heart attack as he yelled and grabbed her shoulders. "Haruhi, please! You can't! I don't want a bunch of people I don't even know who could be complete _morons _raising our precious little akachan! I already know I love our baby and I'm excited to be having him or her! You know I have enough to support us all for the rest of our lives and so what if we're kinda young? I swear I'll be the best parent I can for him or her! _Please_, I can't just give him or her up! We can't!" Hikaru's sad, pleading eyes made Haruhi feel horrible, but she knew what she was talking about.

"I know, Hikaru. I understand you want us to raise the baby ourselves, but the fact is we _are_ too young. I had a plan all set out when I got accepted into Ouran and there's no way we can handle school and raising a child at the same time. Even if I did have time, I don't feel prepared at all. There are honestly better people out there more suited than us to be parents. I always planned on having kids maybe when I was in my thirties, if _ever_. Plus we're not even married or in love! Our child was conceived because you were drunk and raped me out of your sorrow!"

Haruhi couldn't believe everything that just came out of her mouth, but it was all sadly true. She honestly didn't want to give her child up for adoption either, but unlike Hikaru, she's 1) smarter and knows what's best, and 2) completely unselfish. She knew that they wouldn't have enough time between school, studying after school (well, that was _her_), and the host club to care for their baby, so it wouldn't be fair to him or her that his or her parents couldn't be there all the time like he or she deserved. And though Haruhi wouldn't just come out and say it, Hikaru is being selfish and he's pretty immature, so she didn't know if she could believe he'd be responsible enough. He _is_ a recovering 16-year-old alcoholic after all.

Obviously, none of that stuff made a difference to Hikaru, but unbeknown to the ever so oblivious Haruhi, the 'not in love' remark destroyed him because that was half untrue. Haruhi could see how sad and more pleading Hikaru was looking now.

"But Haruhi...I _am_ in love with you! I _do _want us to get married! I swear that everything can work out if you'd just let it!" Haruhi was far from expecting this. But he did it. Hikaru officially confessed, but sadly, the circumstances aren't exactly favorable for such a confession from him.

"Hikaru, please. I don't care what your parents or any other damn rich people might think. I'll still love our baby just as much, even if he or she is illegitemate. Just because we have a baby together doesn't mean we have to get married or fall in love. That's supposed to all happen naturally. This whole situation obviously didn't happen naturally. Do you hear yourself?"

"Yes! Haruhi, I'm begging you!" The drought was now over. Haruhi's heart broke for the millionth time once she saw the tears forming in Hikaru's tear ducts return and felt his grip on her shoulders tighten. "I don't care what anyone else thinks either, not even my parents, but I do love you with my whole heart and will never leave you! Before you decide that this is exactly what you want, please! Let me prove to you that I love you and will be a good parent! Please give me time to show you how far I'll go and that it won't ruin everything! I've lost my brother and one of our children already; I'm _not_ gonna lose our other son or daughter now!"

Hikaru would've gone on, but he was choking up and couldn't get anything else out. The waterworks came out and he removed his hands from her shoulders so he could wipe his face, but he quickly used his arms to embrace her again and sob into her shoulders. Haruhi, after hearing that last sentence, felt tears on her face again, her drought ending as well. She knew that he knew that by giving him or her up for adoption that they wouldn't be _losing_ losing him or her, but it would still be as hard and heart-breaking after his or her birth.

"Okay, Hikaru, but you only have until my due date in six months," she told him sternly, embracing him again as well. She didn't have a great feeling about all this, but she knew he wouldn't give this up without a fight and that he'd go all out (which kind of made her scared, knowing who we're talking about here). "And unless I suddenly fall in love with you and believe we're meant to be, we're _not_ getting married. But I think you should tell your parents asap before doing anything you'll regret..."

"Thank you, Haruhi! I swear you won't be disappointed and that you won't regret this!" he cried, but he was able to smile again through the tears. Haruhi still frowned as she rolled her eyes at his promise. But Hikaru's smile disappeared when he heard a thump against the hotel room's door. "Oh my God, Tono! Get your own life and stop being a perverted eavesdropper! I have your precious little girl now and you can't do anything about it!"

_'Oh no, what have I done?'_ Haruhi thought as they both stopped crying. She rolled her eyes again at Hikaru's typical behavior as he stuck his tongue out at the direction of the door while they still hugged. He was surely going to be possessive now.

"You'd better treat her right, you sinister faust! Daddy won't stand for it if you endanger his daughter and future grandchild again!" an enraged Tamaki yelled as he banged on the door from the outside.

"Calm down, someone will file a complaint if you don't cut it out, _Grandpa_," a certain future 'grandma' pointed out, who smiled to himself, having a feeling that everything would be okay.

One can only hope now that it was all on Hikaru's shoulders...

* * *

Just like that, after only one morning, a bead, similar in size to Hikaru and Haruhi's beads, fell into Hikaru's balloon. It didn't fill it completely, but it helped fill up a lot of the space that Kaoru's bead used to fill up before it just suddenly disappeared within the balloon. Hikaru's world, and in addition his heart, suddenly became much less empty all in that one talk.


	12. Complicated

(A/N: Okay, good news: I'm glad to say that all is forgiven and good again after the depressing thing I had happen at the end of "Don't Tell Me"! Bad news: I'm having slight writer's block, I personally don't like this chapter [though it's kinda important to the story that I include it], plus school for me starts in a week and a half [so pumped for junior year...not] so I'm sorry if this and other updates might be kinda slow. I REALLY want this story to be kinda long, so I'm trying to come up with ways to make it go on as long as possible without making it seem like it's dragging ON and ON pointlessly. I hope I succeed!)

* * *

Thump, thump goes a certain red head's heart as the sweat rolls down his face. Said thumping was probably the only noise going on in the whole room at this moment, along with his near-inaudible whimpering. This _momentous _moment. (Wow, that sounded corny, but it was true.) His teeth clenched as his fingernails are on the verge of digging into the wooden table he was sitting at. He couldn't control his shaking, for his nerves were beginning to get the better of him, but he was determined to win this battle at any cost. His life depended on his victory...or so he believed, but he refused to listen to anyone else.

A certain brunette was sitting on the opposite side of the table with her arms folded as she leaned on it. She was feeling the exact opposite as her 'opponent'; she wasn't nervous or shaking in the least. Though she's been feeling a lot more tired lately (as was expected), no sweat was dripping anyway along her body. Her eyes were narrowed at his direction, which only made him slightly flinch. She knew what a big moment this was, but what needed to happen would happen, and she'd make sure of it.

Their audience, which consisted of two particular blondes and two...whatever black-haired people are called (no offense to people with black hair), were all anxious to see this battle commence, but they all knew who would win in the end. They all knew her well; she could get any of them, including (and especially) the red head, to do what she pleased.

The smaller of the two blondes had a bell and a scoreboard (which was just a small markerboard divided into Haruhi and Hikaru sections) ready. He even had a black and white-striped referee uniform and hat on for the occasion. The other blonde, who was watching intently and looking back and forth at both sides, was chowing down on popcorn and was wearing an oversized foam finger with 'I Heart Haruhi!' written on it. The taller of the two...black-haired people was sitting and watching, looking completely indifferent to the whole thing, but was just as anxious about it all on the inside. The other was taking notes on everything.

The referee finally got up.

"If both sides are ready, you may now...BEGIN!"

He rang the bell, and the brunette made the first move.

"Do it. _Now._"

"Eh...how about tomorrow? I like tomorrow better! Sundays have always been my luckiest days!"

Extreme death glare alert.

"As they say, _Hikaru_, there's no time like the present."

One mark under the Haruhi column.

"Hey, do you need another back rub right now? You looked really achy the whole ride back here! Or do you think you might puke within the next couple minutes? I swear that I'll always be there for you to hold your hair back!"

"Tamaki-sempai or any of the others would be more than willing to do that for me while you're on the phone, thank you very much."

Another mark under the Haruhi column.

"But what if I miss something? What if the baby starts kicking? Or you could go into labor! I don't wanna miss _anything_!"

"...Come on, neither of those things will happen for a while. I'm just barely three months along, you know."

And another.

"Uh, Kyoya-sempai? Isn't it time for me to take another pill?"

"You just took one, idiot."

And another...and the brunette didn't even need to do anything.

"I don't think my phone's charged enough. This talk will definitely take a _long_ time and I'd hate for it to get cut off because of my irresponsibility!"

"We have a house phone if you want to use that instead. And I know you have your charger with you. And if it's really gonna be that long a talk, you might as well get it over with before school starts. Plus, I think that you neglecting to charge your phone is absolutely nothing compared to what you did to me, and in addition, to yourself and your whole family."

Add _four_ more under the Haruhi column!

"Owie, that hurt, but Haru-chan does have a really good point!"

"You know, I'm really hungry! Plus neither of us got to have breakfast or lunch earlier today, which is really not good since you're supposed to be eating for two, and I could go for your cooking right about now! I'm sure everyone else agrees, especially Tono!"

"You're acting like a total chicken. You're not getting any food until after you make that call to both of your parents _right now_. And everyone else is eating popcorn right now while they watch anyway."

Add three more as well.

"But...I'm scared. What if they get mad? What if I get killed? Then you'll have to raise the baby alone!"

"It's a phone call. They can't touch you. If they tried, they could get arrested no matter how powerful they both might be. You know that if you _don't_ tell them period, should they kill you or not, then they won't be able to help us and then we won't have enough money to afford keeping him or her anyway."

Add two more now.

"Ooh, that's another good point, Haruhi darling!"

"But think about it! The apocalypse could come any moment now! I would only want my last moments to be spent with you, Haruhi! I'd regret it forever in the afterlife if I didn't get that chance! Please!"

"...Now you're just desperate. Nice try. Well, not really, but seriously, try to think of something better than that. This morning, didn't you practically swear that you'd prove to me that you'll become responsible enough to be a good parent? Well, breaking the news to your parents and showing _them_ that you can handle all this is the first step in being responsible and you know it."

Add another two now! And seriously, a negative one to the Hikaru side...

"...Dammit! I'm out of excuses as to why I can't do it right now..."

"And there we have it, folks! Haru-chan has won the battle with a total of 15 points while Hika-chan loses with a total of -1!"

"Hooray for my little girl!"

"Of course _Haruhi_ of all people could break him down, you guys."

"Hmm."

"...Again, what have I done? Oh geez..."

Once Haruhi and Hikaru were dressed and packed after their discussion that morning, it was time for everyone to pile their stuff and themselves back into the limo to head on home. It was somewhat of a rowdy ride back, considering _everyone_ now knew _everything_ about what was going on and nothing had to be kept secret any longer.

During that trip, Haruhi almost regretted telling anyone about anything and not just changing her identity and running away in the first place. Even sitting away from everyone in the passenger's seat next to the driver didn't block out a certain few phrases (and variations of them) she quickly got sick of hearing after the first ten billion times they were said...or yelled:

-"Sorry, Tono, but your precious little girl is **ALL **mine now, and don't think _I'm_ one to share! Hahaha!"

-"Once your 'grandchild' is born, the three of us are gonna be our own little happy family, and **YOU **don't get to be a part of it 'cause no grandpas allowed!"

-"**NO**!"

-"You evil little demon!"

-"Mommy!"

-"Hika-chan! Tama-chan! Stop **YELLING**! This fighting is really stupid! The baby might be sleeping in Haru-chan's tummy!"

-"Could you all _please_ just shut up? I'm busy working on stuff for _our_ club for the new school term right now..._please_?"

-"Loser! Mwahaha!"

-"Daughter knocker-upper!"

-"You guys! Stop fighting! Can't we just talk about how cute he or she will be?"

-"**I SAID 'PLEASE', YOU INCOMPETENT MORONS!**"

-"Hmm..." (Okay, this was pretty normal to her already and she hasn't gotten tired of it...thankfully, otherwise Mori would be pretty difficult for her to be around daily.)

So yeah...poor Haruhi. But once she pretended to have another mood swing (which she had been getting better with) and 'cried' over their fighting, they all shut up immediately and simultaneously apologized, even Kyoya.

Once they reached her place to drop her off, they all decided to hang out for a bit because...well, it's them, they don't need a real excuse to visit her apartment. They all immediately begged her to make lunch for them like the first time they visited, but any eating plans were put off once Haruhi ('out of the blue') brought up Hikaru's plans of breaking the news to his parents.

Obviously, said plans were non-existent at that time, which was how their little battle (that Haruhi would win) came about. Since they were always out of town working, Haruhi didn't hesitate to make him just do it in a three-way call right then and there. Once he finally gave in, though he really didn't have a choice in the matter, he insisted on going into another room so they wouldn't have to see any blood that might spill.

"Again, Hikaru, it's a phone call. Just get it over with," Haruhi said somewhat irritably, crossing her arms as he got up off the floor to make the call.

He slightly twitched at her moodiness, but he just swallowed his pride and hurried out, almost slamming the door shut. He was already terrified at how they might react; he didn't need her last words to him to be negative when they might possibly be the last he ever hears from her before he's killed!

_'Okay, seriously, what the hell am I freaking out about? I don't think they've ever gone off on me and Kaoru since we were born! Not even for putting that frog in our aunt's bra during that super important banquet all those years ago! Hehe good times! ...Uh, I think becoming an alcoholic and knocking up a girl might be kinda worse than that though..._

Shaking again, standing in the hallway clutching his phone and swallowing hard, Hikaru began to dial his mom and dad's cell numbers so he could just get it over with. He then took a very deep breath as he brought the phone to his ear when it started ringing.

_'Calm down. Just calm down. I mean come on, what's the worse that could happen? They freak out? Ha! I freak people out for a living for crying out loud! They yell at me? Hmph, I get that on a minutely basis from Tono. My mom cries? Uh, I'll admit, that'd be kinda sad, but I've made plenty of girls cry without trying to before. Hey, I was gonna make her cry some day like all guys, might as well do it now with what's probably the single worst news I'll ever give her! They don't compensate me and Haruhi and we won't be able to keep the baby even if Haruhi finally agreed to it? Hehe...wait, what? __**NO**__! They wouldn't do that to me! I've always been the favorite son! They would never! ...Or would they?'_

"Hi honey! This is a nice surprise; you never call me when I'm at work unless you're in trouble! What's going on?"

"Uh, hi Mom. Um...uh, could we get Dad on the line? I need to tell you guys something important together and it can't wait until you're both home again...oh, and can you get one of your jeweler friends to send something over to where I am right now?"

* * *

"Come on, Kyoya-sempai. I know a lot of the other students at school aren't exactly the brightest, especially our customers, but I doubt they'll fall for _that_."

Haruhi just groaned at Kyoya's suggestion while he sweatdropped, the two blondes started tearing up since they absolutely _loved_ the idea, and Mori did nothing. Once again, Kyoya thought it was a pretty good idea. The other three were all for it (though Mori didn't show it), considering how cute they all knew she would look in a certain female school uniform.

"I don't care if they fall for it or not, Haruhi! I think it's a totally fantastical idea!" Tamaki exclaimed, pounding his fists on the table hard, scaring the crap out of everyone. (Literally, Haruhi almost wet herself, which sadly has been happening to her every once in a while lately.)

"No it's not, Tamaki-sempai. I happen to like wearing the boys' uniform and would prefer to for as long as I can." Haruhi even started going as far as counting everything off on her fingers. "And it's not ever like I'd be able to wear the girls' uniform for that long anyway. I still don't have a clue what I'll wear once I'm too big for either uniform. Not to mention hosting to guys will feel kinda weird, considering one of us have certain problems with 'letting go'..." At that remark, everyone turned to stare Tamaki down.

"What?" Tamaki was honestly confused and had no idea what their disapproving looks meant. He looked back and forth from everyone nervously, not comprehending the fact that he could _possibly _have a 'flaw'. "I don't have problems! That's preposterous! I'm perfect both inside and out!" To complement his statement, he went up on the table to pose as a bunch of spotlights flashed onto him and a harp played lightly in the background.

"Yes, Daddy, keep telling yourself that...despite the fact that you allowed your own daughter to get knocked up," Kyoya commented as he kept writing. The harp music stopped and the spotlights fell right on top of Tamaki. "But Haruhi, what else could we possibly do? It'd be smart to just start attending school as a girl from now on 'cause you're already somewhat showing, and I'm sure you would prefer if people wouldn't come up to you with questions as to why you've suddenly become...voluptuous." Haruhi turned red fast at _that_ comment. But he had a point.

"Ugh, I know, Kyoya-sempai, but I still think they'd know it's me. Well, my male counterpart anyway, and I thought I made it clear that I'm not marrying Hikaru!"

To Haruhi, Kyoya's entire plan was just so ridiculous-sounding, especially for _him_. He even had the whole story for them to tell people when the club would re-open on the first day back: Apparently, the male Haruhi Fujioka that everyone at the school is already familiar with had been accepted into some prestigious school in the U.S. and therefore wouldn't be returning this next school term. Yet despite his departure, the female Haruhi Fujioka, his twin sister, would be transferring in so she could be closer to Hikaru, her fiancee, whose baby she's expecting (which is at least not an _entire_ lie). And to make up for the male Haruhi's departure (and keep Haruhi as part of the host club), the female one could attend to his guests like a girl friend since she's 'just like him' and any guys who showed up.

So she would still be able to go by her real name as a female, the explanation for her and her 'brother' both being called Haruhi was that their parents were weird and named them the same thing.

_'Yeah, my dad is weird, but come on! That's just so stupid, especially for Kyoya-sempai!' _Haruhi thought when she heard the part about her and her 'brother' having the same name, but that part she didn't bother to argue about.

Yeah, it's obvious that Kyoya undermines commoners, but seriously...

"Don't worry about that, Haruhi. We somehow found a way to salvage that wig you wore at the fair last fall, so no one will recognize you as your male self if you wear it. Now...look at me, Haruhi, because this is important."

Haruhi, who had kind of avoided eye contact with Kyoya during the entire uncomfortable conversation, looked up from her lap and saw how serious he and everyone else, even Tamaki, were actually looking. This somewhat surprised her, but all of them besides her knew how serious the thing Kyoya was about to explain to her would be. Kyoya deeply exhaled and stopped writing for a moment, which easily made Haruhi realize how serious he was going to be.

"Kyoya, I don't think this is necessary to bring up right now," Tamaki said quietly, looking down. Haruhi was definitely surprised that he suddenly mellowed out so much.

"Tamaki, please. Haruhi, let me tell you this right away: we're not going to make you marry Hikaru or be engaged to him for real, but you have to pretend to be engaged to him at least. It might seem ridiculous to you that it's such a big deal, but we live in a high class society, you know. Both you and Hikaru would be looked down upon if people knew that you guys were having a child out of wed lock or engagement. The press would have quite a story and Hikaru's family would be shamed. This is for the sake of your own futures and your child's future, should you guys be keeping it. By at least pretending to be engaged, no one will ask questions. These are unfortunate circumstances and I'm sure he's not even thinking about them right now considering what's happened recently and it just wouldn't cross his mind to begin with, but that's what the rest of us are here for." Kyoya took a deep breath and took off his glasses to wipe the sweat off his face. "I know you guys would love your child the same no matter what, but sadly, our society doesn't have the same heart."

Haruhi couldn't believe everything she just heard and didn't want to believe it, but she saw the care in Kyoya's eyes, which were hard to look in at the moment. Unfortunately, everything he just said was 100% true.

Not once since Haruhi learned of her pregnancy did any of this occur to her. She forgot that they were living in, as Kyoya said, 'high society', but while neither her nor Hikaru could care less about that, it would ultimately affect or even ruin _everything_. Unlike everyone else, he and Kaoru never really spoke anything about their futures or succeeding their parents or the like. As far as she knew, their own parents aren't and have never been around them, so only God knows what was being planned for them if anything at all. But whatever was now gonna await Hikaru in the future could be ruined because of his mistakes, and of course it didn't help that a certain 'mistake' was made with a commoner of all people. Kyoya was right on about the press having a field day.

Since she herself was the commoner, there was a slim chance that she would be as affected as Hikaru in all this. Yeah, she'd be looked down by damn rich people, but she wasn't rich herself. She already has to work for what she wants so she had much less to lose. Their child on the other hand, she didn't even want to think about it...but it did occur to her and she couldn't not think about it.

Then her eyes wandered towards Tamaki, who was still looking down, almost in shame. It's just a fact that he never allowed it to bother him, but it's why his life isn't all sakuras. Here was a breathing, walking example of what her child could be. Sure, both of Tamaki's parents loved him enough and if his Grandma allowed, he could be next in line, but the fact that he's illegitimate will stick with him forever. Even his fellow host club members initially used that to identify him before they really knew him. That one thing about him alone is even obviously enough to make his Grandma hate him. It was a terrible and shallow thing to her, but this is just a reiteration of what Kyoya said. Society doesn't always have a heart, and it'd have even less of one for someone who's both illegitimate and has commoner blood.

She has always damned rich people before, but never as much as she did right now, and for a good reason this time. This unfortunately made adoption seem like the more desirable option, since it would make them look much more responsible in society's eye.

"...I know you're right, Kyoya-sempai. Fine...I'll _pretend_ to be engaged to Hikaru, but only for ours and our child's sake," Haruhi finally answered firmly. Everyone just gave her looks of acknowledgement and didn't say anything for a while, until Honey broke the silence and crawled over to where Haruhi was sitting. It made Haruhi smile when she saw him smiling up at her.

"It'll be okay, Haru-chan! We don't care about any of that, we all still love you and Hika-chan and we'll definitely love akachan no matter what!" he said cheerfully, leaping into her arms for a hug.

"Thanks Honey-sempai," she said as she hugged him back.

This was one thing that definitely comforted Haruhi: she was lucky enough to have friends, no, a _family _that cared an loved her so much. It didn't matter what was wrong, she knew that they'd be here for her and Hikaru even if everyone else was looking down upon them. Her baby would certainly be loved and supported, though she almost feared that he or she would be absolutely spoiled by the guys...she didn't want to think about that either.

"We'll always be here for you guys," Mori said walking over to them, smiling as well as he messed with Haruhi's hair. "We have to go now, Mitsukuni."

"Thank you too, Mori-sempai."

Haruhi was concerned that Hikaru hadn't finished talking to his parents by the time they all had the plan straight and everyone else decided that they should go home to get ready for the new school term, but she'd check up on him after the goodbyes. Everyone else called there own limos to come pick them up and Honey and Mori's came by first.

"Bye guys! We'll hopefully get to visit you guys as much as possible! And take care of yourself, Haru-chan!" Honey yelled from his and Mori's limo, poking his head and arms out the window to wave as it took off. Mori quickly grabbed him and pulled him back in for safety reasons.

"Bye guys!" Haruhi and Tamaki both yelled back as they waved and it disappeared, but they weren't sounding all that enthusiastic. Kyoya waved silently.

The three weren't just thinking about the fact that the club would be so different without them, but the talk they just had was quite emotional and the air became tense as they just stood by the side of the road. Eventually another limo came up to pick up both Tamaki and Kyoya.

"I'm just gonna ride with him to get home," Tamaki said to Haruhi, smiling once again, but it was obvious that it wasn't sincere and it saddened Haruhi, but she tried faking one as well for his sake.

"Okay, bye you guys. I'll see you on Monday."

Once the limo arrived, the driver walked out and opened the door. Kyoya left Haruhi's side and went straight into the limo, motioning for Tamaki to come with him. Before Haruhi could bid Tamaki goodbye again and to go ahead, she found herself being squished in his arms, just like the night he found out. Getting used to all this hugging, she naturally returned the gesture. She was pretty sure that she's never had as many hugs as she's had within the last four months than she's had during the rest of her life.

"Like I said before, Haruhi, I'll always be here for you no matter what, nothing will ever stop me from helping you when you're in need. I care about you and I'll make sure that your and Hikaru's akachan will be loved. He or she deserves it and will get it from all of us, but you should do whatever you believe would be best for him or her. I know you'll make the right choice because you're smart like that. Just let me know if you ever need anything, okay?"

"...Okay, sempai. I love you guys so much and I'll see you Monday..."

With those last words, they finally brought themselves to smile at each other for real just before Tamaki climbed into the limo. Haruhi waved silently as it drove off. Though still feeling sad, she was slightly more happy and comforted by the fact that there were so many people who loved and cared for her and her unborn child already. She felt better knowing that he or she would be loved and cared for no matter what decision she made, but there was still time. Right now, she wanted to know whatever happened with Hikaru...

* * *

"That was very nice of you to say to her, Tamaki, but that was a big promise you made to her, you know. With you, nothing's ever in short supply."

"I guess so, but it doesn't matter. Everything you told her is sadly true, but society can just go to hell for all I care. All children deserve love no matter what because love is what created them in the first place, even if they are labeled by others as 'mistakes', 'cause love is never a mistake. Hikaru wouldn't have done what he did to Haruhi to any other girl, which just proves my point. Also...while Haruhi will make whatever choice she makes because it's what she believes is best, it wouldn't seem right for that poor child to not be with it's true family just because of other people's beliefs of what is right or acceptable. I know so firsthand of this conspiracy and it's just not right to me...or fair."

"I see, Tamaki. That's an interesting notion in it's own way."

"It's not just a notion, Kyoya, it's my entire basis of beliefs, and it feels like it's all being tested even further now. I just wish for the best to come to Haruhi and Hikaru because they don't need anymore grief. They need love, but Haruhi is still as stubborn as ever and Hikaru's still trying only his best to give it to her in a way that none of us can..."

"Really, Tamaki? Not even..._you_?"

"...We're here, Kyoya. I'll see you Monday."


	13. Nobody's Home

(A/N: Aah, I'm mad at myself for taking forever to finish this! I will confess that I was kinda goofing off while writing this chapter [watching _FMA: Brotherhood, Soul Eater, Sgt. Frog, _and _Ojamajo Doremi_], but I'm also having serious writer's block, which I was SO hoping I wouldn't get this time! I honestly thought I had this whole fic planned out in my head, but when I started writing, I got nearly nothing...O_O. Aah, so please forgive me again for what might be slower [and IMO, suckier] updates, but I promise I'm trying!

Also, the question many of you have been asking will now be answered! But this isn't the last flashback, I assure you. And one last thing, sorry for the cliffy!

**Update: Please check my profile for a new poll about this story.**)

* * *

_'Oh, dammit. What the hell's going on anymore? How'd my life get so messed up? I know I keep asking myself this and all I get are the exact same answers thrown in my face, but still...I can't help but keep hoping that they might be different each time. Too bad miracles and genies don't exist...'_

Hikaru groaned loudly, smacking himself as he rested his back on a wall in Haruhi's room. He quickly slid down it and began crouching on the floor. He certainly survived his talk with his parents and even got his mom to get that jeweler to get him the thing he wanted. Despite that, he was still stressed from the talk and wasn't completely thrilled with what he and his parents agreed on, but he knew it would be in everyone's best interest.

Once he got them both on the line, he dropped the alcohol bomb first, which made his mom break out into sobs about what a bad parent she's been and his dad just being sad and disappointed in him. He was relieved that there was surprisingly no yelling though. Much better than he expected. Right after that, he then dropped the bomb about getting Haruhi pregnant and _really, really, really _wanting to keep the baby. He was both relieved and absolutely shocked when his mom was so happy about having a grandchild (and a new model for baby clothes), despite all the circumstances. His dad on the other hand (who obviously has more common sense) wasn't exactly happy about it, or at all even, yet he didn't yell at him; he just told him how he was even more upset with him.

Geez...hopefully Haruhi and Hikaru will be better parents than they are and actually be able to recognize how dire a situation truly is when it comes around...

While he was pretty happy that they were overall accepting and understood where he was coming from (and weren't even angry at all...), his dad wasn't going to let him off that easy and just let him receive money as he pleased, even though Yuzuha was willing to do just that. (Again, great parenting going on here...) Plus, they weren't convinced that he was over his addiction for good, and they knew that it wouldn't be good for the baby if he was still drinking. In the end, he and his parents overall agreed that they would give him some compensation, but they would temporarily pull him out of Ouran in order for him to get over his addiction for good and show some responsibility before they'd help him further. Hikaru's initially freaked out at the idea. He didn't want to leave Haruhi and the club just as he was feeling better about life. And to him, working for what he wanted in life was a foreign concept, and he was still too young to start any career in the fashion industry, the only thing he ever wanted to do that would make money and involve actual labor. But then he remembered something as they were talking. For once, a good idea actually came to him...

They agreed with him on his idea and left it at that for the time being, and they also liked the idea of him and Haruhi getting married, but that was all up in the air still. There were certain things about his idea that he was far from thrilled about, but Hikaru knew it would be a good idea and that it'd be for the best for now anyway, even though it meant leaving Ouran and disappearing again for a while.

After they hung up, he crouched on the floor in stress for a while, examining Haruhi's room. He really didn't want to look down upon her living conditions more than he already did, but he knew right away that the baby would _so_ have to live in better conditions than this, and Haruhi deserved to as well. He loved both of them too much to not give them only the very best. Plus, while he wouldn't ever admit it, he was overall just shallow and stuck-up in general.

Soon, a delivery guy showed up and so no one would see him, he went underneath the window to Haruhi's room was and tossed the thing Hikaru wanted through the window. After the guy left with the generous tip Hikaru gave him (which he quickly regretted giving him since he now really needed to save up), Hikaru opened up the box, which had another smaller, velvety box within it. What he saw inside that box made him smile: a new, clean-cut diamond with two smaller ones on each side on a beautiful gold band. He had a feeling that she'd probably turn him down again, but that didn't mean he couldn't try. He stuffed the little box into his pocket.

_'Hmm, maybe not today. I don't think she'd accept just out of the blue like this when she just already rejected me a few hours ago...'_

"Okay, Haruhi! I told them! Are you happy now?" he announced almost proudly (but with a hint of irritation he tried to make obvious) as he slammed the door to the room where everyone was open, but he was confused when he saw everyone was gone and Haruhi picking up their empty tea cups. "Uh...I didn't think I was taking that long..." Haruhi just looked up at him and chuckled.

"Don't worry, everyone just had to go and get ready for Monday for the new term. You were only in there for about a half hour. So..." She placed the tray of cups down as they both sat back down at the table kind of uncomfortably. "...uh, what happened? What'd your parents say? Did they take it alright?" Hikaru easily noticed how worried she was, even if she could hide it pretty well.

"Well, they actually didn't kill me, believe it or not. They were both disappointed in me and I apologized a bunch of times, but I think overall they're cool about it now."

_'What? Okay, I knew they wouldn't necessarily kill him, but that was quick of them to be cool with it,' _Haruhi thought as she gave him a look of complete disbelief and shock. "Um, okay, that's kind of weird, but whatever. So...what else did they say? Will they even let us keep him or her if I ever agree with you, 'cause I still don't think it's the right thing." _'Hmm, I do kind of want to bring up that whole thing Kyoya-sempai said, but I don't think he needs to hear it now...'_

Hikaru cringed at her words, not exatly wanting to hear again that they should still go with adoption. "Well, they told me that if we end up deciding to keep akachan, they would give us some money, but...they obviously don't trust me completely and won't let us keep him or her if I don't get over my addiction for good and start showing responsibility and how far I'll go. Basically, the exact same thing you said..."

"Hmm, I see, I can't blame them though," she responded quietly, unintentionally breaking eye contact out of her nervousness. "So was there anything else? Do you know how you're actually going to 'prove' that'll you'll be a responsible parent to us yet?"

Haruhi waited patiently for him to say something, but all he did was sigh heavily, obviously having a hard time spitting out something, anything. She almost had a bad feeling about whatever he decided, but she could tell that there was some agreement made and that he wasn't exactly happy about it. She could also tell that because he doesn't like it, it must be a something good for him whatever it is. She always had that way of being able to 'just tell'.

Hikaru had made a decision and was going to stick with it, even though it was almost too painful to go through with, even if it'd only be a few months. He couldn't bring himself to just say it to her. He, at that moment, knew he couldn't just come out with it at that moment. It was too hard on him and he wouldn't be able to leave then.

"Um, I don't know if I can tell you right now, Haruhi. But..." He then looked up at her, trying to look happy and give her a jovial smile, but she just kept frowning, still seeing right through it. "If it isn't too much trouble, could you come over to my place tomorrow? My mom's actually gonna be there for a few days this upcoming week and wants to meet you really badly. You'll see; I promise that you'll see how serious I am about all this." At this point, he was actually starting to look totally stern about all this; quite out of character actually.

Haruhi didn't really know what to make of what he was telling her. It was kind of unusual of him to not be just straightforward (and just flat-out rude) about whatever. She knew what a delicate situation all of this was and what a huge effect it would have on _everyone_, but still, even Hikaru was acting more differently than she expected. Could it just be that weird to her that he was actually striving to prove himself and...mature? Especially considering he used to just be some damn, touble-making rich kid to her?

Well, that same damn, trouble-making rich kid had just lost his brother, begun recovering from his alcohol addiction, _and_ discovered he'll be a father in six months and has to prove himself within that time in order to keep his child. Seemed only natural that stuff like that would help one mature, huh?

* * *

After she agreed to visit him tomorrow, Hikaru bid goodbye and hopped into his limo to head for home asap. He was content with his plan, but he felt absolutely horrible that he just left her like that: without a clue, or even a proper goodbye considering how long it would be when they would next see each other.

Hikaru hated the part of his idea that involved leaving Haruhi, but he knew it would be better if he wasn't around until he was free of his addiction and had his thoughts sorted out. Needless to say that his thoughts were _far_ from sorted out and that he was majorly stressing out, even though he seemed like he was fine and was just overall excited for the baby. It hadn't even been an entire day since Kyoya and Haruhi dropped the bombs on him, and he tried his best to hide his stress (and he had overall succeeded). But would it really seem like a surprise that he was honestly still messed up?

The entire week he had been back at school since his three month absense, no one would've suspected anything wrong if one hadn't a clue of Kaoru's death. Hikaru didn't show it, but that empty space still existed and always would. And while his future son or daughter helped fill some of it up, it would still never go away. He would never have another twin brother. There would never be another Kaoru Hitachiin. During his ride home, he couldn't help but think about that fact, and the fact that it was all his fault, which he convinced himself was true...

* * *

_"WHOO-HOO!" the twins both cheered as they and Haruhi were riding on the jet ski, having a total blast. Haruhi even was, but she was definitely not as vocal as them though._

_Once they were all on and seated securely, Hikaru blasted right off the beach at who knew how fast? Just fast enough though to block out Tamaki's cries for his beloved daughter's safety. All three of them were enjoying the thrill from going so fast out into the ocean with no direction whatsoever, and Hikaru certainly enjoyed having Haruhi locking her arms around him for safety purposes._

_"This is super-special-awesome! Am I a genius or what?" Kaoru asked conceitedly, somehow yelling loud enough over the roar of the engine that the other two actually clearly heard what he said._

_"I know, right? Aren't we the best, Haruhi-chan?" Hikaru asked, also getting kind of cocky, but not realizing the 'mission' Kaoru was on that pertained to him and a certain brunette riding with them._

_"Yeah, yeah, don't get cocky or anything, guys. But shouldn't we slow down a bit? We're going kinda fast, and Tamaki-sempai would kill you if anyone got hurt."_

_On the outside, both twins were smiling goofily, but deep down, Hikaru, who wanted this to be just about the three of them having a good time _alone_, wasn't exactly thrilled to hear Tamaki's name being brought up. Using his twin instincts, Kaoru felt Hikaru's jealously and made the mistake of trying to provoke him even further so he'd realize his feelings already. His plan certainly had (somewhat) good intentions, but Kaoru didn't consider any kinds of consequences, unfortunately, otherwise he would've re-thought his little plot._

_"Yeah, Hikaru! But ya know, Tono's gonna smother her to death either way because he _loves_ her _so_ much and doesn't want his little girl hanging with two dopplegangers who possibly endangered her! Hehe!" Kaoru laughed as Haruhi just rolled her eyes and Hikaru's smile started fading._

_"Oh, Kaoru, you say such silly things, don't 'cha? We love her, too! That's why we're having a blast out here!" Hikaru exclaimed, clenching his teeth in frustration and tried not to show any signs of irritation, even though Kaoru was already well aware of them. _

_He began getting where Kaoru was going with this, but Haruhi was as naive as always. Kaoru could just feel his brother's envy seeping out of him like his sweat was as they drove on. He noticed that in his frustration, he was starting to unintentionally go much faster, if that were possible, but didn't think much of it. _

_"Uh, yeah Kaoru, that's not necessary to bring up, 'cause I mean we all love each other right?" Haruhi asked nervously, but that wasn't enough to extinguish Hikaru's flames of jealousy. Kaoru somehow failed to see the danger Hikaru was putting them in and stupidly kept going on._

_"Yeah, but I'm just saying, some of us much love some of us a little more since they show it so flamboyantly like Tono! Just saying! But we do all love each, don't we Hikaru?"_

_"Just shut up, Kaoru!" Hikaru yelled back at him. _

_That was it. Kaoru went way too far; now Hikaru officially lost it. As the flames of hell began burning in his eyes, he gripped the handle bars of the jet ski as tightly as possible and revved up the engine, going as fast as the machine could handle. Haruhi and Kaoru screamed as they were going probably 100+ mph, but Hikaru was no longer using common sense. His rage had now taken over. Haruhi was grabbing him as tightly as possible for her life, and Kaoru was doing the same to her, but he was still quite pleased with himself and _still_ failed to see the danger they were heading towards._

_"Hikaru, slow down! We're about to hit those rocks!" Haruhi cried out, almost in tears._

_"Hahaha! Wait...what? What rocks?" Kaoru finally stopped laughing, comprehending what Haruhi just said while his brother ignored it completely and kept going on._

_"The ones that we're heading towards and are about to hit! Hikaru, stop, turn around, do something!" _

_Kaoru's gaze followed Haruhi's finger and his eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw what it was pointing at: a huge mass of rugged rocks, and she was right, Hikaru was driving them right to them, but was totally blind to them. Kaoru now regretted ever embarking on his mission to get Hikaru to realize and confess his feelings; their lives were obviously a _teeny _bit more important to him._

_"Damn Tono for all I care! He can just rot in...wait, what?" Finally, Hikaru saw the rocks straight ahead of them and his jealousy cooled down. "Oh crap!"_

_As he yelled, he made a drastic last minute turn just as they were less than a few yards away from them. They all screamed as the jet ski fully turned around and began heading back the other way. Hikaru had no choice but to make such a turn that was so sharp, Kaoru's hands slipped and he went flying right off as he became unable to hold onto Haruhi any longer. _

_"Kaoru!" Haruhi and Hikaru yelled simultaneously as they noticed that he was flying off the jet ski. Hikaru made a sudden stop to see Kaoru falling right on top of the rocks!_

_"Guys!" he yelled, just before his body made contact with them. _

_The other two cringed as the saw he made contact _head first_. His screaming stopped the second he hit them. In their complete shock, they only watched as Kaoru's body then fell helplessly into the water and began sinking. Their hearts immediately began to sink just as fast._

_"Kaoru! I'm coming to save you!" Hikaru yelled as he carefully stood up on the jet ski and dove right off of it and into the water._

_Once he successfully dove into it, he followed the trail of blood seeping from Kaoru's head and swam as fast as he could. He watched in agony as he saw Kaoru's body sink faster and faster into the ocean, but he wasn't going to give up yet. After swimming as ferociously as possible, despite the difficulty of it, he just barely grabbed his arm before they were going down too deep for Hikaru to see anything. He struggled as he tried to drag Kaoru up with him and was panicking once he began to lose air. He was also certainly freaking out about the fact that Kaoru wasn't waking up. _

'No, Kaoru! You can't be gone! Please! Once we get up to air, please take it in and show me that you're still alive!' _Hikaru thought as he was trying to get up to air. If he wasn't underwater, he probably would've screamed that to the heavens in desperation._

_Haruhi eventually dove in and swam as fast as she could down to their level and grabbed Kaoru's other arm. That helped Hikaru a ton and they were able to pull him up faster. Both of them took huge breaths once they reached the surface and pulled up Kaoru's head, but they got nothing._

_"Come on, Kaoru! Breathe! It's not that hard!" Hikaru yelled as he gripped Kaoru even tighter, but once he and Haruhi realized that he wasn't waking up to breathe, they swam him over to the jet ski and laid his body flat on it as much as they could. The thing wasn't all that big, unfortunately. "Kaoru, please! You can't be gone! Please breathe! Anything!" Hikaru's desperation became even more obvious as he hovered over his brother as much as he could while crying out to him. It was very obvious now that he was crying now that they were out of the water._

_Haruhi, who was trying to fight back her own tears, eventually couldn't just watch anymore and got up on the jet ski to examine him. She cringed and tried harder to fight back her tears when she saw the horrible concussion on his head that was still spilling blood and that he wasn't showing any signs of waking up. She damned herself in her head for not knowing CPR, but she doubted that there would be enough time anymore anyway. Hesitatingly, she went ahead to check if he was breathing and held her ear to his chest. Nothing. She even more hesitatingly went to check his pulse. Hikaru, panting heavily as he faught back his tears, noticed what she was doing and only prayed in his head even harder._

_"Haruhi, please tell me he's alive! Just tell me he's okay and not gone!" Hikaru sobbed as he leaned his arms against the jet ski, watching hopelessly as Haruhi was looking over Kaoru. He noticed how Haruhi just sat there frozen as she held Kaoru's limp wrist, not looking up. "Haruhi, speak! He's fine! Tell me he's fine, dammit!" _

_Hikaru pounded his fists in frustration, but all his anger just melted away once he saw that, while she still had her head down, tears were falling off of Haruhi's face. She dropped Kaoru's wrist as she looked up at Hikaru. His heart began cracking at the site of her now red puffy eyes as more tears fell from them. He just stared at her lifelessly. She didn't have to say anything now, but he still prayed that she'd tell him the opposite._

_"...I'm...sorry, Hikaru...he was obviously knocked unconscious and...drowned. I'm...so sorry..." she said quietly, choking back her tears._

_For what seemed like a while, Hikaru just stared back at her emotionlessly, just frozen in place as his mouth slightly hung open. It took that long for it to all just sink into his head. When Haruhi noticed how he wasn't even crying or showing emotion anymore, she felt concerned that he wasn't reacting as neurotically to all this like he does with anything else. She thought that if anything, he'd react even more dramatically to this._

_"Hikaru, I'm sorry and I could never imagine what you're feeling, but please just say something so I know you're not dead too," she said as she moved back into the water to get closer to him just to make sure he wasn't dead as well. _

_His face still looked completely blank and devoid of any feeling as he just stared at his late brother's body lying there. Haruhi lightly poked him on the side, and he still didn't move an inch. He was still just floating in the ocean with one hand holding on the side of the jet ski. Haruhi felt relieved when he finally opened his mouth, but she was not expecting, nor did she want to hear, what came out still so emotionlessly._

_"...Kaoru's gone...he's really gone...my twin brother's gone...I was going too fast...it's all my fault..."_

_"Stop it, Hikaru! It wasn't your fault, it wasn't anyone's fault!" Haruhi yelled at him as she grabbed his shoulders and shook him, not wanting him to pin the blame on himself. _

_She knew that one could blame it all on a number of things, but that wouldn't do anything but make them even more miserable, and Hikaru was the last person who needed to be more miserable. She was surprised at herself that she was able to keep it together as well as she was. She figured she has experience with this, but she didn't really want to think of it that way. Even though he wasn't showing it at all, anyone with an ounce of common sense would he has to be dying on the inside. She didn't know how, but at that moment, she knew he needed help and she was determined to help him get through this, because it would be a long and difficult road ahead for all of them. (No way that she had any clue just _how_ difficult it would end up being for _both _of them...)_

_"...I just can't believe it, Haruhi...I'm sorry..." he said quietly, looking down into the water. When he saw his relfection, he immediately shut his eyes. It was too painful, because he certainly didn't want to look at a near-identical replica of his dead brother's face at the moment._

_"Hikaru, it's okay, I'm here and I'll help you and so will the rest of the club and so many others who love and care for you. We all love you so much. I love you so much and will do anything to help you through this," Haruhi said, embracing him in the water for what would be the first of _many_ times. She couldn't think of Kaoru right now; it would be almost pointless since he was gone, but she knew Hikaru needed her._

_"...Thank you, Haruhi...I love you, too..." Hikaru said as his body began shaking. He slowly embraced her back. Despite his present misery, this little thing she was doing for him was definitely helping, even if it was only a little bit. _

_At that moment, he knew Kaoru was right: Haruhi made him happy, and...he did love her. And now she was the biggest thing in his life, now that one of the beads was gone and left a huge, empty space in his world, and in addition his heart. _

_Haruhi...she was all he felt he had anymore..._

* * *

Hikaru had learned to fight back the tears every single time that tragedy flashbacked in his head. He couldn't believe that was already four months ago...and how much had changed since then. He knew Kaoru would not be happy with the direction he took in coping, or the results of his choices. Sure, no one would think that turning to alcohol would be unusual after going through such a tragedy, but Hikaru knew that he should've known better, and now he was paying for it. He no longer pitied himself, but Haruhi, who only loved him (though not the same way...yet) and tried to help him. Now she was paying with him and he wanted to do everything in his power to pay her back for all the support and love she'd given him, and for what he did to her.

But before he could, he knew he had to straighten himself out completely, even though it would be painful for him. He guessed this was what it meant to pay for your actions.

His limo finally reached his manor as he was thinking about all this. He quietly exited the limo after his driver opened the door and walked into the place as his staff was taking in his luggage. Again, he was getting better, but a little thing that stills bugs him was that now with Kaoru gone, he'd always be entering an empty house all alone...

But at the same time, he kept in mind that in six months, if he earned it, it hopefully wouldn't have to be like that anymore.


	14. One of Those Girls

(A/N: Omg...I can't believe how sad some of you guys got with the last chapter! ...Well, okay, someone died, so I guess that's not too weird...but, and I don't wanna sound evil or anything, that kinda makes me feel good, that my writing was _that_ powerful. :D But anyway, enjoy! I swear, there shouldn't be any tears for a while, at least I think there shouldn't!

Also, I still have my poll open and am really curious as to what you guys think, so please cast a vote!)

* * *

It was Sunday morning, the last one before the new school term kicked off. Unfortunately, all kids have to go back to school eventually. Well...most of them.

The glare from the sunlight blinded Hikaru as he lay in his bed as it shone through the window. He groaned and tried to block it with his arm. He was completely serious about being responsible (which included getting up when he needed to), but at this moment, he felt like putting that off until tomorrow, like most people try to do. He was usually a morning person, but the stress had begun to get to his head and drain his energy a bit quicker than usual, which he knew he'd have to get used to soon anyway. Still, he didn't like it one bit though.

_'Dammit. I should've gotten curtains that aren't see-through. Stupid sun. Can't it wait until tonight to come out?,'_ he thought to himself as he eventually decided to take one of his pillows and slam it over his head in attempt to block it.

This action worked for a while and he continued to lie in his bed in peace for a few more minutes, but all good things don't last forever. He groaned underneath his pillow the second he heard his room's door being slammed open and a certain cheery, girlish voice chirp merrily.

"Rise and shine, Hikaru deary! It's already 6:30! It's time to get up and get ready! While I'm making breakfast for our guests this, I need you to wipe off some tables. Then when you're done with that, you can go ahead and do your couple hours of online schooling, then you're free until the afternoon. And don't forget to take your pill! I'll see you downstairs soon!"

"Ugh, I'll be ready in a few, Misuzu-san..." Hikaru groaned in response.

Once Misuzu left, content with Hikaru finally awakening, Hikaru slowly lifted the pillow off of his face and sat up in his bed. After he let out a loud yawn, a smile came upon his face as he observed his surroundings, including the sewing machine he was working with the night before and the cute baby PJs he was making with it.

* * *

Haruhi was good at hiding the fact that she couldn't be more nervous than the moment the limo arrived at the front gates of the Hitachiin Manor. She had only been to Hikaru's mansion once for Honey and Mori's graduation party. This time, she was coming to talk with him about the future and to even meet his mom. Much more nerve-racking by a milestone, of course.

She had hesitatingly agreed to visit his home the next day, which was also the day before school started again and she'd have to start acting like a girl (and act like she knew almost _no one_ at school at all). She knew today that with meeting his mom and all, he'd hopefully soak in all this stuff that was happening and be able to really understand what the hell was going on. She had a slight glimmer of hope left that he would understand that them keeping akachan wasn't the best idea and that they'd come to an agreement today that adoption was the best option. Whether he was rich or not or recovering or not, they were only high school second years for crying out loud! The road would be much more difficult and Haruhi knew that, whether the recent tragedy that caused all this happened or not, they didn't need this, and their child needed better and more responsible people to be his or her parents. Haruhi hoped that Hikaru's mom would realize the same thing as well...

"I'm just so excited, Haruhi dear! I was _so _not expecting this for about another decade, should my son ever even get married, but I'm perfectly happy with having an adorable little grandson or granddaughter right now! I'm sure he or she will be absolutely adorable, mixed with both your and Hitachiin good looks! I'll now have perfect model for baby clothes, and now I even have one for a maternity line! By the way, do you know if I'll be having either a grandson or granddaughter yet? If not, do you have a preference?"

_'What's with these people? Don't they realize what a major deal this is or are they all just this delusional? I guess I should've expected this, especially after hanging around Hikaru and Kaoru for so long now.'_

Once the limo that was sent to pick Haruhi up arrived at the mansion, she was immediately greeted by Yuzuha Hitachiin right at the foyer, who was, as Hikaru said, completely ecstatic about her pregnancy. Haruhi was in shock, especially considering the circumstances, but Yuzuha seemed totally oblivious to them. Haruhi decided not to comment, for that might actually *gasp* open her eyes on the situation and sadden her. That was the last thing she wanted to do, especially since the woman only recently lost her son.

_'Hey, for all I know, she might just be using this to cover up her sadness for Kaoru's death, but still, this is all kind of a common sense thing going on.'_

After greeting each other, Yuzuha led her to some sitting area to have tea and talk. She wanted to know _every _detail about Haruhi's life, and like her own sons, didn't exactly try to refrain from making comments about her commoner lifestyle, but Haruhi knew that like them, she didn't intentionally try to offend her. The apple really doesn't fall far from the tree at all, she supposed. Yuzuha also couldn't resist gushing continously over her future grandchild, somewhat automatically assuming that Haruhi would be going along with what Hikaru wanted. Again, Haruhi didn't really want to sadden her more than she might've possibly been (on the inside), so she tried her best to avoid bringing up adoption or anything along the lines of not keeping him or her. She was especially grateful that marriage wasn't brought up either.

"Um, I'm sorry, but I'm not finding out until my next appointment in about a couple more months, Mrs. Hitachiin, and I honestly don't really care whether it's a boy or a girl, just as long as he or she is healthy. I'd love either one just as much because I know that, as you said, he or she will be beautiful," Haruhi replied, actually smiling genuinely. Even if she was a little...aggravating like the twins, Haruhi actually didn't mind talking to Yuzuha that much. It was almost enjoyable and a refresing change to talk to another female about all this who actually knew she was a female as well.

"Oh, you're so right, Haruhi-chan! And please, call me Yuzuha! We're practically family now!" Yuzuha seemed so unbelievably vibrant, but Haruhi thought it was good that she was at least feeling better.

"Um, okay, Yuzuha..." Haruhi felt kinda weird, considering she just met her, but she thought whatever. "Uh, when do you think Hikaru will be joining us? The two of us still haven't really made any firm decisions about anything, though he keeps telling me that he's so willing to prove how responsible he can be." Haruhi noticed Yuzuha smiling face fall at the mention of Hikaru's name.

"Well, Haruhi-chan," she said, scratching the back of her neck as she stared down into her cup. Haruhi was not exactly expecting Hikaru to not be here today when she was meeting his mom for the first time. "He actually told me to send you to his room once you got here, so I apologize for holding you up. Don't ask why he decided this, but he believed it was the best. So...I think you should go ahead up to his room."

Haruhi's eyes slightly widened at the now troubled-looking Yuzuha. It appeared to her as if Hikaru just wanted to talk to her _completely _alone about something, and that he was being absolutely serious for once. Haruhi initially was completely confused and didn't get why Hikaru specifically wanted to see her alone in his room without his mom. She didn't want to say so, but she was now feeling very hopeful.

_'Maybe he's finally come around. I bet he's realized now that I was right and that we really have to think about what's best for the baby and that we could find people that would be better parents to him or her. With his mom all excited, I bet he doesn't want to tell me in front of her right now. Okay, I'm just assuming things right now, but I can hope, right? And it's perfectly logical.'_

"Once you go up the stairs, turn left and it's the third door on the right. It was very nice meeting you, Haruhi-chan! If I don't see you for a while, I wish you good luck throughout the rest of the pregnancy!" Yuzuha bid her goodbye as she bowed and took both of their cups to the kitchen.

After Haruhi bowed back, she nervously took her first steps out of the sitting room and headed up the stairs towards Hikaru's room. For the first time since she arrived at the manor this afternoon, she took in the building's extravagance. The nice staircase railing, the chandeliers, the lovely tile, and those weren't even the real necessities of a home. It really must have a nice place for Hikaru and Kaoru to grow up and live in, even though it did totally spoil them.

Though it never occurred to Haruhi _that_ often, there were a few instances when she was growing up in which she would try to imagine what it would be like to be a mother and raise kids. She hoped that if she ever would, she would've been out of a college and be a well-reputed lawyer before having any, that way any children she would have would already be garunteed a better childhood than she ever did. She wanted to be just like her own mother. Not _once _had she ever even thought for a second that she would possibly get pregnant, and therefore start having kids, while she was still in high school because one of her best friends was drunk and raped her. She never once thought that said friend would be the son of a world-famous and wealthy fashion designer and software designer, therefore making him a rich heir, therefore allowing her child to possibly live a ridiculously extravagant and comfortable life.

But it was happening. She _was _in fact pregnant while she was still in high school and no doubt that if she kept her akachan, he or she would be spoiled rotten. And moreso, not just by his or her own father, but by _all_ of her rich friends! She could just imagine her child having the biggest and nicest nursery ever, only drinking high-quality formula, and getting more toys for Christmas than most kids ever have in a lifetime. It felt especially surreal to Haruhi that her child could possibly become the heir to a huge fashion empire. This thought only scared her more as she made it to the door to Hikaru's room.

_'Oh man, I guess I can't argue that there couldn't possibly be any couple out there who would be able to provide more than Hikaru could alone, but while certain material things that his parents' money could provide are very important, it'd still be hard for us to give more important things like the parental love all kids deserve...I can only hope now that Hikaru's come to his senses and realizes that it's all just bad timing, plus we _aren't_ in love, even though he's convinced himself that he is with me. I almost feel bad about it though...'_

Haruhi finally brought herself to open the door. Though it was no shock, she was slightly taken aback at Hikaru's humongous bedroom. No surprise there. But what she was surprised about was that he wasn't even in it anywhere. Needless to say that Haruhi began to feel weird about this.

_'Okay, this is strange. Where is he? He better not be trying to pull some prank on me. If he tries, I'll hold it over his head forever.'_

Haruhi heavily exhaled as she shut the door behind her and began looking around his room. It was practically as big as her whole apartment. No question, if she kept her baby, he or she would so be set for life. She walked over to a wall where several pictures of him and Kaoru hung. Looking at them somewhat saddened her.

_'Seriously, Hikaru, what the hell is going on? I thought we were gonna get the chance to talk more today,' _she thought as she just decided to go over to his bed and sit on it. She knew he wouldn't mind. Something then occurred to her. _'Wait a minute. He never actually told me _why _he wanted me to come over. I can't think or any other reason than to talk, but who knows what he really planned, well, besides him and his mom apparently.'_

As she sat there and just looked around for a minute, she then realized that sitting right next to her on the bed was some elephant-shaped...she didn't know what it was. She raised an eyebrow at it. Slowly, as she sat in her place, she began to reach towards it. All of a sudden when she lightly touched the tip of it's trunk, she squealed and jumped when a whole bunch of confetti suddenly bursted out from its trunk!

_'What the hell! This isn't funny, Hikaru! Just come out already!'_ she thought angrily as she scooched back quickly on the bed until her back hit the bedframe.

She sat there, looking completely freaked out at the thing, when she then noticed small, tied-up, rolled-up piece of paper in front of her. Her look of fear was replaced by one of curiosity.

_'What's that? Is this a note from him? He could've just left it on the bed instead of scaring the hell out of me! Well, okay, this is _Hikaru_ we're talking about here, I guess.'_

Getting over her shock, she carefully crawled towords the note, picked it up, and untied the string around it. Her eyes widened again once she saw, after she unrolled it, that it was in fact a note from him. There was also a tiny, velvety box inside it. Her curiosity in it drove her to read the whole thing quickly. Once she finished, her mouth dropped open ever so slightly and she almost teared up; this was not what she ever expected of him and she was saddened by parts of it. Yet, at the same time, she couldn't have felt more touched, especially after she opened the box and saw the ring inside it, despite her not being exactly all that supportive of what she just read.

_'Oh my God, Hikaru...this does at least seem like it's for your own good, but please just don't go overboard...'_

* * *

_To Haruhi,_

_Okay, I just know you're probably wondering where the hell I am and why I'm not at home to see you when you came to visit. Well, okay, this is hard to write in all honesty. I'm more used to just typing stuff like this, and in a shorter length, but I know you're the kind of person who would appreciate this kind of thing._

_So anyway, I said I'd start acting more responsible and prove that I can get over my addiction to both you and my parents, so that's what I'm doing. Something I didn't tell you that they told me yesterday was that they were gonna temporarily pull me out of Ouran until I'm totally cured. I hated that part, but I knew they were right, so I didn't fight it. But I couldn't take the idea of just hanging out at home anymore; it gets boring and lonely lately, you know? So I've decided to go back to Karuizawa and work for Misuzu-san while doing school online. His pension's business has practically boomed since last summer we were there, so he'll actually be able to pay me now, which I'm sure you'll appreciate. And while I'm over there, I'll be able to do school crap online like originally and he's sure the the "peaceful" and "refreshing" air will relax me enough that I'll start losing my desire for alcohol, and Kyoya-sempai's sure that my alcoholism should be gone soon. Seemed pretty good to me._

_While I'm over here and along with all that stuff, I'm also trying to get ready for akachan. Misuzu-san has a sewing machine so don't even think about buying any baby clothes! That's all on me and there's no store in existence that'll make cuter clothes than I will! ;D I'm also trying to now figure everything else out related to akachan; what his or her nursery will look like, how we'll manage school and caring for him or her, what his or her name should be (I think it should begin with 'H'! That'd be awesome!), blah blah blah, I swear I'll have it all sorted out when I come back, which I'm hoping won't be more than a couple months. I wanna make sure I come back totally healed._

_I couldn't be more sorry that I couldn't say goodbye to you in person, but I wouldn't be able to leave if I did. It kills me that this is happening. I like my idea and it makes me feel like a total genius for once, but the single thing I loathe about it is not being able to see the rest of the host club, especially you, and that'll I'll miss out on the next two months of your pregnancy when I've already missed the whole first three months not even knowing. I'm still eternally sorry that I did all of this to you in the first place, but that's why I'm trying so hard. I love akachan so, so, so much! And I know you don't believe me, but I love you so, so, so much too! I have nothing else in my life that I care more about now than you two! So please, with this ring I got you, I'm begging for you to at least think about it and consider the possibility of us being a family together, even if you're still hooked on adoption. I'm trying to show you that this'll all work and is the best option! I can only pray that you'll realize that once I'm back._

_Please promise me that you'll take care of yourself and the baby. I'm sure the other guys will too to the best of their abilities, but just don't let Tono get to close to you!_

_With all the love in the whole wide freaking world, Hikaru :)_

"Oh my God! That is _so_ sad, yet _so _beautiful, Haruhi-chan! You and Hikaru will be so cute together, and so will your baby! And the ring he gave you is so lovely!"

"Um, thanks guys. I know we'll all be happy together once he gets back." _'Oh man, what have I gotten myself into?'_

It was now the first day of school, or the end of the first day of school actually, and the first day the club has been open for the year. Haruhi was now attending to her _and_ the twins guests, but for the first time, as a girl, which felt so different to her.

Going along with Kyoya's plan, she put on the female uniform that morning for the first time (well, second technically) and the wig. She definitely didn't think it was as comfortable as the male one and still didn't know what she'd do once she'd get bigger, but she knew she had no choice if they were going to pull this off. Never in a billion years, or even a year ago, did she think she'd have to actually worry about this kind of thing when getting ready for her second year of high school. Unlike a year ago, studying was surely not the only thing on her mind anymore, or even the biggest thing. But she vowed though that despite everything going on, she'd try not to fall behind since it would hopefully only be going on for six more months anyway.

As Kyoya predicted, she got _many_ looks from lovestruck guys (and even girls who admired her beauty) as she walked down the hallways of Ouran. She initially feared that everyone already noticed that she was pregnant, but she tried to best to just shrug it off. Besides that one snooty girl, Ayanakoji, who she was lucky to have not seen since the inicident almost a year ago at the club, Haruhi knew most of the kids at the school weren't the type to be out for blood.

Her first day as both a second year student and a girl went by much easier than she anticipated, which brightened her mood a lot by the end of the day. Not one person recognized her as her 'twin brother' and they all bought the whole 'named the same thing' deal. A lot of the girls squealed out of excitement when she announced her and Hikaru's fake engagement and that she was pregnant, which was thankfully completely accepted by everyone. Haruhi couldn't believe how stupid the kids in her school were, but she was actually grateful about that fact for once.

When the end of the day came, it was host club time! She had no idea how it would go over with her old guests, but Kyoya was, as usual, right again. They were all initially sad about male Haruhi's sudden departure for America and Hikaru's absense, but Haruhi could tell that they and Hikaru's guests were over it quick and enjoyed hanging and talking with her just as much. She even had to sit with them at a bigger table. Unfortunately for her, they really loved talking about her and Hikaru...

"We just can't wait until your guys' baby is born, Haruhi-chan! I bet he or she will just be so kawaii! You just have to bring him or her in at least one day!" Momoka squealed out of excitement. All the other girls squealed with her, which caused Haruhi to sweatdrop.

She surely wasn't gonna tell them every detail at the moment, especially the adoption, raping, alcohol addiction, and the fact that they weren't even in love parts. She also knew that while most of society would look down upon her and Hikaru for their situation, these girls obviously wouldn't care, which Haruhi appreciated, but she wanted to keep up the act as best she could.

"Oh, my little girl is just so cute in her little girl and bow! And at least I don't have to worry about guys prouncing on her now that she's engaged, and I don't have to worry about that demon getting near her either for a while! Oh, she's growing up so quickly, Mommy dear!" Tamaki squealed himself as he watched from the table he and Kyoya were at. For once, he had a break from guests and was watching his daughter from afar as Kyoya typed while looking back and forth.

"Yes, I guess I would say so, _Daddy_. I was worried for a minute there, since half of our original club is gone for the moment, but her acting like just another girl has so far proved profitable and has made up for the profits we would've otherwise lost," Kyoya said as he was typing who-ever-knows-what. "And I'm glad Hikaru made the decision he went with. It wouldn't be good for one of our own hosts to be an addict."

"Hey, Haruhi! Have you or Hikaru done any baby shopping yet?" one of the other girls at Haruhi's table asked. Haruhi froze at the question, considering she had no plans for any such shopping, but that was another thing she didn't exactly want to tell them.

"Um, I'm sorry to say we haven't. We're waiting 'til a little later to do so, and I wouldn't mind waiting for him to be here to do it," Haruhi said nervously.

Her feelings of nervousness quickly went away...when she heard the sounds of a certain high-powered motor and a certain diabolical laugh.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Haruhi, the girls, and Tamaki looked towards Renge as she came up from...who-really-knows-where, laughing her famous evil laugh. "Oh, Haruhi, it's _never_ too early to start shopping! It might be new to you, but that's how girls are! Just think of how adorable your baby would be in a Mokona Modoki costume! Come, we must head over to the mall right now!"

Kyoya stopped typing and twitched at the word 'mall'.

"Oh, that would be so much fun, Haruhi! Renge's right, we should all go right now! It'd be a great way to welcome you to Ouran! Everything'll be on us!" Haruhi couldn't tell which girl suggested the idea, for they were all squealing with Renge even louder than earlier.

"Uh, I should really be studying, but I guess it'd be okay to start now?" Haruhi agreed reluctantly, sweatdropping even more as she forced a smile. _'Hey, if it's on them and if I'm technically still hosting by doing this, I guess I'm fine with it. It is our job to entertain these ladies after all.'_

_'As the club's president, I'm _begging_ you to protest this idea, _Tamaki_,'_ Kyoya thought to himself angrily, twitching even more.

"That's a fantastic idea, Renge-kun! Oh, it'll be so much fun looking at stuff for the baby! It's all just so unbearably cute! To the mall we go! Come on, hurry up, Kyoya!"

At Tamaki's announcement, Renge and all the girls rushed right out the club room's door with Haruhi, who allowed them to drag her with them. She figured she was doing her job as a host...or hostess. Tamaki excitedly grabbed Kyoya and dragged him as he followed the girls as they all piled into one limo that started driving right to the nearest mall at Tamaki's command. While Tamaki, Renge, and all the girls cheered out of giddyness and Haruhi just sat there indifferently, Kyoya tried his _very_ best to keep his composure and not yell at anyone.

Suffice to say that he well remembered the last time he was dragged to a mall against his will and never wanted to see another one again for a long time.


	15. I Don't Have to Try

(A/N: Yay! 2,100+ hits and so close to 100 reviews! You guys rock! So okay, I love Ep. 17 a lot, so that's why this chappie is a lot like it! I also have to add that it has so far been my favorite chapter to write, even though it's the least original. Hope it's good to you guys, even though I kinda fast-forwarded a bit [about a month]. And a note about my poll, don't feel upset if the gender you want doesn't win! It's _just_ out of my own curiosity, the winner might not necessarily be the gender I pick. I still don't even know!

Oh yeah, I wonder if any of you can figure out what part of the first paragraph is based off of a movie quote and what movie it goes with. ;D

**Note:** Golden Week, though I'm not 100% sure, is a week in Japan at the end of April with a bunch of holidays within it, so kids get the whole week off.)

* * *

Everyone knew for a fact that Kyoya Ootori strives to do only his very best so that he might have at least a chance at succeeding his father over his two brothers; that is his number one goal in life above anything else. He knows no bounds and does his best to not let _anything _get in his way when he wants something. This is a big part as to why people are scared of him; he's brilliant and he's deadly, despite the fact that he's surrounded by freaking idiots. People could even see the dark, brooding, purple haze that surrounds him when he's either angry or thinking up something completely devious! To put it more simply, he's a cunning guy that you don't mess with unless you want to be screwed for the rest of your life.

He's not one to appear vulnerable or show his weaknesses, which is part of what makes him seem even more threatening, but there is one little thing about him that makes him tick _every_time. Unfortunately for him, there's a certain blonde idiot out there who either doesn't remember or even gives a damn about it...

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Kyoya!"

"We've missed you so much, Kyo-chan!"

"Hmm."

Kyoya clearly heard those greetings from two particular peppy blondes and that grunt from a particular 'strong and silent' type and even felt their presence in his bedroom, but he wanted to believe he was just hearing things as he lay in bed. He swore to himself in his head that he'd murder (or worse, fire) whichever of his maids allowed them to go in his room when they all clearly know that he doesn't like to be disturbed on weekend mornings a single _second _before 10:00. He already despised having to get up in the morning for school, but it was even more irritating to wake up the same time on a Saturday morning, the beginning of Golden Week even, and when he was busy last night.

"Go away, Tamaki, until noon preferably should you decide to come back," Kyoya said, trying his best to make his aggravation obvious to them. He pulled the covers over his head tighter and refused to look up to acknowledge them.

"But Kyoya! All the girls and Renge are here with us so we can go back the mall to shop for Haruhi! Just between you and me, Haruhi's not coming with us because this is all a huge surprise! Hikaru e-mailed me last night with his plan for the nursery, so we gotta go get all the stuff while Haruhi isn't here and deliver it to his place! So come on and get up, sleepy head! The early worm catches the bird! Wait, I meant the other way around. Whatever, it's something commoners say, but for us, the worm would be only the highest-quality crib to accommodate our precious little grandchild!"

Tamaki just continued to go on and on about today's little adventure and other crap and was poking Kyoya _all _over with Honey and Mori. Kyoya kept his rage under control, but for only so long before he cracked, which involved smacking Tamaki with his pillow and shutting him up finally.

"Tamaki Suoh..." he growled, which made everyone else slightly back away as he began to sit up in his bed, his head held down in almost menacingly with his hair covering his blood-shot eyes. "Almost **every **day after school during host club hours since the beginning of these first **four weeks** of school, you and our guests have dragged me to **eight** different damn malls to waste both our valuable time and club funds to buy stuff for an infant that is **none **of our responsibilities. It's amazing that Haruhi and the rest of us have been able to focus on studying or anything else in our lives anymore. I have yet to comprehend why it is you insist on us going nearly **every** single day, especially when we have barely purchased anything important. Plus, I was **very** busy last night and would like to relax right now, so I will ask you nicely to leave me out of this from now on. That is, unless you have a death wish." After letting his anger out in a somewhat calm manner, he plopped his head back on top of the pillow. _'God, have mercy on me for once, I'm __**begging **__you.'_

"You cannot be serious, Kyoya!" Tamaki cried out dramatically as he tugged harder on the sheets, ruining Kyoya's couple seconds of peace. "This is our own future grandson or granddaughter we're talking about here! Of course the little darling is **all **of our responsibilities! We're a family and you need to start putting your priorities straight! Honey-sempai, Mori-sempai, help me out here!"

Just like that, they were all struggling to get clothes on Kyoya's body, which was harder with two less people to help them do so, but they succeeded and quickly piled up into a limo with Renge and all their regulars to head to a different mall this time. The whole drive over there, Kyoya realized how unattractive begging must be to thee Almighty.

"Oh wow! This one's the biggest we've been to yet! We just _have_ to look at _everything _while we're here!" Tamaki exclaimed once they arrived. He, Honey, Mori, and all the girls looked out into it in complete amazement once they were at the front entrance.

"Oh my gosh, they even have a costume store! We gotta check that out! We just gotta!" Renge shouted as she waved her finger energetically at the mall's directory. All the other girls squealed and nodded in complete agreement.

"Now ladies, as hosts it is our duty to bring you guys happiness, but we must remember what we're here for," Tamaki said sternly as he looked at the sheet that had Hikaru's nursery wish list on it. All the girls, Honey, and Mori lined up in a nice, orderly horizontal line, waiting for Tamaki's direction. "Now everybody, stay in your groups and- OMG! They've got a pet store here too! To there first!"

At his announcement, everyone pretty much scattered into all different directions to go to wherever they pleased and for the first time since they've begun these daily mall outings, forgot the main reason they even started this routine. Kyoya could tell that it completely went over their heads when he saw that Tamaki just dropped the paper he was holding as he rushed towards the pet store, not to mention that they forgot that Kyoya was even with them.

_'Talk about deja vu. At least this time I have my phone and wallet should I choose to go home. But I'm already here, and I don't really have anything to do...' _Kyoya just sighed and walked over to where Tamaki dropped the paper. _'Now what was Hikaru looking for us to get for him?'_ He picked the list off of the ground and went to sit down at a nearby bench as he looked it over. _'Orange and white? That's kind of an unusual color scheme for a nursery, though I guess it's overall pretty unisex, so they won't have to worry about that. Ugh, I guess Haruhi couldn't get through to him...he and everyone else seem completely oblivious to how difficult this will honestly be...idiots, that's just what they are, and that can't be changed sadly.' _

He began to feel a headache come on, which could have been because he hadn't eaten yet, but also because as he said, he can't change the fact that the people he hangs with are in fact idiots.

"Kyoya-sempai?" Kyoya's eyes widened and his head turned towards where a certain former cross-dresser's voice was coming from. Said former cross-dresser's eyes widened at the site of him as well. "What're you looking for here? Is that your shopping list or something?"

_'Talk about _total _deja vu.' _"Haruhi, have you eaten yet this morning?"

As they went over to the mall's food court and got stuff from McDonald's (which Kyoya agreed to eat with her, reluctantly), Kyoya, who didn't care about the fact that he was spoiling anything, filled her in on why he was there and what the hell was going on. Haruhi wasn't the least bit surprised that they were all going to this trouble...again. Like Kyoya said that morning to Tamaki, nearly every day since school began, she was dragged by Tamaki and the girls to the mall for baby shopping, yet they hadn't made any purchases. They merely had fun looking at all the kawaii baby stuff that they 'considered' getting, which Haruhi was thankful for since she still didn't think she'd need any of it. But after Kyoya showed her Hikaru's list, her face fell.

"Oh man. _This _is what he's doing while he's gone? I knew how determined he was to convince me that keeping him or her is such a great idea, but I never realized he'd plan so far in advance, considering I haven't approved any of this. I mean, he has the _nursery _planned out? Seriously?" Haruhi groaned once they sat down and began eating their McGriddles. Haruhi was once again disgusted by how Kyoya didn't bother to use his manners because 'nothing was in it for him', but she refrained from saying anything about it again, just as Kyoya refrained from commenting on the fact that she drowned her McGriddle in hot sauce. "And I can't believe he actually wants orange. That just seems weird to me. Call me old-fashioned, but I would prefer yellow, should we be going for a unisex color...wait, what am I saying? It doesn't matter because we're not keeping him or her. Ugh, how did this happen to me?" Haruhi moaned even louder as she put the list down on the table grouchily. Kyoya was surprised; he'd never heard Haruhi whine about something before.

"Yes, Haruhi. I still agree with you 100% about going with adoption, but neither Hikaru nor any of those other idiots realize they this is something _not_ to be taken lightly and that it _will_ have a huge effect on everything, but they refuse to listen to me. But quite honestly, you have _no _idea how far Hikaru has been taken this. I admire him for his dedication towards something _besides _trying to make Tamaki miserable, but I still don't believe it's right and I'm sure you wouldn't approve of everything he's doing," Kyoya said, still aggravated from how his day began. He could see the curiosity in Haruhi's eyes.

"Wait one minute, Kyoya-sempai. Besides this whole nursery thing that he apparently wanted to be a surprise, what else is going on, besides all the baby clothes and maternity dresses he's been making and sending me? I'm actually wearing one right now and I have to admit he did a nice job. But still, he's been calling me twice practically every day so he can check up on how I'm doing, so what, are there even _more_ things going on that he hasn't told me?"

Once they finished up eating, which didn't take long, they got up and began casually walking around, not going anywhere in particular. Neither of them were exactly looking to purchase anything Hikaru requested Tamaki and the others to get, so they didn't have any destination in mind at the moment. Kyoya looked closer at the lovely spaghetti-strap, light blue dress Hikaru made for her. He knew she needed it; as the first weeks of school went by, there was no more hiding it. She was easily showing through the girls uniform and he knew that Hikaru would have to alter it somewhat by the later months. At least she had already told everyone, so now no one would be surprised or anything. Kyoya had to admit though, even he thought she was 'glowing', though he always secretly thought she always looked lovely.

"Well, just between you and me, the two of us have spoken a few times actually and he's spelled out all the things he's planned out already. Along with getting the nursery and other stuff for your guys' child ready, he's had living arrangements planned out for you two. Needless to say that he was ecstatic when I told him that you've been wearing the ring, though I doubt he knows that you don't plan on you guys ever marrying. But anyway, assuming that the two of you do get married, he already has a house bought and everything." Kyoya stopped when he noticed Haruhi froze and her jaw hitting the floor. He had a feeling she'd react like that.

"A _house_? Oh come on, he's killing me here. I don't even want to be _fake _engaged to him," Haruhi whined again. She was starting to lose it; he was doing _all_ of this for her so he could win her over and show that this really could work, but it was really killing her inside because sure, they'd have all this stuff, but that still didn't mean anything.

"Believe me, those are the more normal things he's been doing," Kyoya resumed as the two of them started walking again, though Haruhi couldn't help but somewhat slouch in her slight frustration. "He has in fact taken into account that you guys wouldn't be able to care for a child 24/7 with school and all, so he's been trying to find someone who would be a suitable nanny-"

"No way in hell," Haruhi interrupted, giving Kyoya a stern, irritated-looking face as they went over to a fountain to sit at. Kyoya knew she'd feel this way and his indifferent facial expression didn't change when he look back at her. "This is exactly why I'm against all this. I guess this is how all you rich people grew up, but I don't want my kid to only see his or her parents half the time. I'd wanna be there for him or her as much as I could. I mean, like you, I can appreciate that he's trying so ridiculously hard, but this is the most ridiculous so far..."

"You have no clue how ridiculous it _was_." At Kyoya's words, Haruhi's eyes expanded again as she slowly turned her head towards him when he began looking away again.

"What are you talking about now, sempai? Don't tell me, he's hired one already?" Kyoya lightly chuckled, which made her narrow her eyes at him in more frustration. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, I hope he hasn't yet either. Unbeknown to you or anyone else, as soon as club activities were over yesterday, Hikaru begged me, begged me, _begged me _to take a helicopter over to Pension Misuzu yesterday and help him with all the interviews he set up yesterday with potential nannies. I had to get him ready myself and teach him how to conduct them maturely, which, considering who we're talking about, was _not _easy. I even stuck around to take notes during the interviews. Still, he believed this was a good idea. This way, you two would be able to continue attending Ouran and eventually get to college while still having the baby in your lives. The nanny, who could've be male or female, he planned on hiring would strictly work only during school hours so you'd be able to care for your own child for the rest of the time no matter what. Hikaru really wants it that way and he's being really responsible about it, though I still don't agree."

Haruhi relaxed her eyes as she listened to what Kyoya had to say. She had to admit, she was impressed that Hikaru put so much thought into all this and how serious he was being, but she was on Kyoya's side still.

"I'm sure you must be impressed with him, Haruhi, even if you're still on my side." Haruhi jumped in surprise. She'd never understand how Kyoya could get inside her head so easily. "But believe me, he doesn't have much faith in other people, so he decided to be _really_ hard on people during the interviews, which is partially why I'm sure no one has been hired yet."

"Okay, I kinda would expect that from him, but what exactly was the ridiculous part?"

"Oh yeah, about that...now Haruhi, there were inappropriate, rude, and/or unacceptable things we both kind of expected would happen that would've been perfectly normal for candidates to do during the interviews, like pick their noses or talk back or whatever. The things that the people he interviewed did were not just those things, but also very...unique and not expected in the least. I never realized before until now how..._uniquely_ people can act when under pressure..."

* * *

_"Hello, I'm Hikaru Hitachiin. I understand you...um, could you please turn off your DS for the duration of the interview, please?"_

_"Pikachu, no! Oh, don't worry dude! I can totally pay attention to you and my game at the same time! That's how good I am at multi-tasking and-"_

_"**Next!**"_

* * *

_"Hello, I'm *bright flash* Ow! What the hell was that?"_

_"I'm sorry if that scared you, but I always take a picture of every person who interviews me! You could call it a hobby I guess!"_

___"**Next!**"_

* * *

_"So what sort of hobbies do you have?"_

_*Candidate gets up and begins a weird interpretive dance, which ends abruptly when she makes a huge leap and accidentally crashes into a wall.*_

_"__**Next!**_ And Kyoya-sempai, could you please call an ambulance?"

* * *

_"Finally! I haven't found anyone who seems as professional as you all day!"_

_"Actually, I've changed my mind. I don't really want the job."_

_"Really? Why not?"_

_"It pays **way** too much!"_

_"Wow..."_

* * *

_"What is your main reason for wanting this job?"_

_"I really don't want it, to tell you the truth, but the unemployment office needs proof that I'm looking for one or else they won't give me money."_

___"**Next!**"_

* * *

_"What can you tell me about your family?"_

_"Hey! Who's the cute babe in that picture?" *points to a picture of Hikaru and Haruhi from Tokyo Disneyland wearing their Mickey and Minnie hats that Hikaruhas as his phone's wallpapaper; the phone is sitting on the coffee table in plain sight*_

_"The mother of my child...may we please go back to the interview?"_

_"Do you have her number? Is she home this minute? I think I wanna ask her out!"_

_"...Seriously, please leave, like **right now**."_

* * *

_"Describe yourself in about five or six adjectives."_

_"That's easy! Really, extremely, awesomely, totally, unbelievably cool!"_

_"__**Next!**_ And come on, most of those weren't even adjectives..."

* * *

_"If you needed my son or daughter to do something, how would you go about asking him or her to do said thing?"_

_"Easy, tell the shrimp to just do it, then kick its little ass if it doesn't!"_

___"**Next!**"_

* * *

_"Would you consider yourself a good example for him or her?"_

_"Absolutely, as long as he or she don't see me if I have a guy over and we're 'busy', if you know what I mean." *winks*_

___"**Next!**"_

* * *

_"It's very nice to meet you. I'm-"_

_"__**Nobody **__moves a muscle! You'd better let me have this job or I'll set this bomb off!"_

_"Kyoya-sempai..."_

_"I'm getting someone from my family's police force on the phone right now."_

* * *

"...Eh..." was all that could come out of Haruhi's mouth as she slightly twitched. Kyoya just nodded his head casually at her as her mind tried to absorb all this...idiocy.

"I know, though I assure you only the coffee table was harmed in the bomb incident. This story probably only makes the nanny idea less appealing to you, doesn't it?" Haruhi squeaked as she nodded her own head in response, still in shock. "Anyway, that's what's going on with him. He really has been keeping his word about being more responsible though. He said he's even almost off the pills finally. But enough about him and all this other stuff that must be stressing you right now, how have you been feeling, Haruhi? I know I've seen you every day, but I'm just making sure since Hikaru wants to know anything you might not be telling him."

Haruhi shook off her feelings of disgust towards those people once he asked her that. She was surprised; underneath his cold, indifferent, self-serving layers was a heart. She even saw the concern underneath his indifferent-looking face when he looked back at her. Though _all _of them were idiots to her (even Kyoya sometimes, while he wouldn't admit it), she still felt lucky to have them all care for her so much, even though being involved with them caused all this in the first place.

"Oh, a lot better than the first few months, thank you." She smiled up at him as she answered. "I don't really get sick anymore and I haven't burst into tears or blown up at anyone for no real reason in a while. Unfortunately, my back's been killing me lately and I really don't want to take any meds for that just in case. I've had to pee a lot more frequently too, and none of my regular clothes fit anymore." Haruhi giggled when she saw the grossed-out look on his face at the word 'pee'. "But it's okay, I'm able to live with it all. It still feels so surreal, and it's definitely still hard to imagine that there's actually a little, defenseless baby growing inside me that I already love so much, but I don't feel like this is all really ruining everything anymore." Kyoya looked at her intriguingly as she smiled down at her (now easily noticeable) bump and caressed it soothingly. "I haven't felt this good and hopeful for the future in a while. I just know that everything will work out for me and Hikaru and our baby no matter what we decide. I just know it."

"That's good to here Haruhi. I admire your optimism a lot," Kyoya said, actually sincerely for once, but he then looked down at the floor sadly, which Haruhi noticed.

"Is there something wrong, Kyoya-sempai?" Haruhi looked at him concernedly as she saw him shaking somewhat.

"I just wanted to tell you that...I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you earlier but hadn't had the courage to until now, when you're so hopeful and confident that things will be okay. I feel absolutely terrible that I couldn't stop this. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to prepare you for this. I tried and it ended up being for nothing. I'm so sorry that I couldn't stop Hikaru from doing this to you. I'm so sorry..." he said, almost choking up.

Haruhi was definitely shocked. _Never _had Kyoya allowed himself to appear so vulnerable, and in addition to that, human, before in his life. She knew exactly what he was referring to when he said he tried to prepare her. She would never forget what he did at the beach last summer. He was acting particularly evil that night, but she knew he what he was doing and would never intentionally hurt her. (Then again, neither would Hikaru, but that's kind of touchy to think about...) She realized that Kyoya had a hard time accepting the fact that he actually _failed _at something, but he didn't realize that there was nothing he could've done. Even if he did nothing, no one was prepared for this to happen.

Haruhi felt beyond touched that Kyoya was sorry for this. Whether he would never admit it and while he does try so hard to come off as heartless, he really did have a heart underneath his many layers. Haruhi was obviously one of the only people who have been able to dig underneath them enough to get to his heart.

"It's okay, Kyoya-sempai. It's not your fault," Haruhi said comfortingly as she moved closer to him on the edge of the fountain and placed a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. "You know you couldn't do anything more, so please don't worry about it. Like I said, I know everything will work out, and nothing bad's going on anymore, so there's no reason to be sad or sorry anymore. You can stop trying to be mad at yourself, okay? The only other thing I can say is thank you so much for just being here; I couldn't ask for anything more."

Kyoya stopped shaking finally and slowly turned his head back towards Haruhi's smiling face. Haruhi face brightened more when she saw a small smile come across Kyoya's face.

"I never have to try, Haruhi. Self-discipline comes naturally to me and I can't stop it. But thank you for your forgiveness. It really means a lot."

Kyoya decided he'd now have to thank Tamaki later for dragging him out of bed before 10:00 on a Saturday morning just to go to the mall with all the girls...

"Hey, you guys! The girls and I bought a whole bunch of costumes at the costume store here! It's official! to ensure that these won't go to waste, I'll have to make another movie with us all in it now! Ha ha ha ha!"

...or not.


	16. My Happy Ending

(A/N: Okay, I realize that the last chapter, though fun for me to do, kinda seemed like just a filler. -_- But I absolutely SWEAR to you guys that I have some HUGE stuff planned and I just don't wanna rush into it too quickly. Something kinda big happens in this chapter, and for those who REALLY want Hikaru back, I swear he's coming back VERY soon. I swear this fic will getbetter and more HikaHaru-ish! But for now, please enjoy! I'm trying my hardest to please everyone, though that's kinda impossible sadly enough. Like I said, something does happen in this chapter and it's a big deal.

Okay, I did NOT mean for it to be this long, so please forgive me if you guys aren't into big chapters!)

* * *

"OMG, I ALWAYS knew people were moronic, but this is just ridiculous!" Hikaru exclaimed angrily out loud to no one in particular as he was wiping off tables that Saturday evening.

Obviously, he was quite aggravated that there was not a single normal person who he interviewed the night before that he felt would've been a good enough nanny. Seriously, not even he was expecting some of the wacky things they did, though who would? Hikaru felt the stress coming onto him as he wiped even harder, practically digging underneath the wood of each table top, but he was not in a good mood and was stressed beyond belief. His plans would be out the window if he couldn't find someone.

_'This is horrible. If I can't find someone who's trustworthy enough to watch akachan while Haruhi and I are in class, then everything I've done has been for nothing. It's not like we could have akachan lying in his or her carrier in between our desks or something like that...well, I wouldn't mind, but I'm sure Haruhi and our teachers would. I just wish I could find _someone_. Again, I'm almost completely over my addiction, I've made so many cute little baby outfits for both sexes, with any luck Tono and the other guys got all the stuff I wanted so I can start on the nursery when I get back, I even already have a house for all three of us to live in together like a real family! But all that will be for nothing if I can't just find one person that isn't a complete idiot...well, who am I kidding? I have way too much faith in humanity, don't I? I have way too much faith in the fact that I believed things would get better after Kaoru...left...'_

Hikaru heavily exhaled as he swung his rag over his shoulder and sat down at the piano bench in exhaustion. He now had to give credit to the working class; he understood what it was like now, but until now, he thought that it'd all be worth it. Loud, discordant notes came out of the piano as he leaned his elbows against the keys and held his head in frustration. He was just so close, he needed just one more thing. He did not expect said thing to walk through the door that very moment.

"Wow, I would never expect you to be here, working none the less. I certainly didn't expect you to already be engaged and literally 'expecting' at such a young age either. I'm also very surprised that your brother is sadly no longer here; I apologize for that."

Hikaru jumped up in his seat as fast as a bunny in pure shock. An angry look came upon his face at the sound of her voice. He knew that voice _anywhere_.

"What're _you _of all people doing here?" he asked, intentionally giving off an air of irritation. He didn't bother to turn his head to make eye contact with his unexpected last interviewee.

"Why, helping you fill the open position, of course. At this moment in time, I've just been released from prison for robbery," she said casually as she walked closer to him, eventually taking a seat next to him on the bench. He turned his head away from her.

"Like they say, what goes around comes around." The 'candidate' just smiled slyly as she stared at the back of Hikaru's head.

"And I have now realized how true that is, which is why I want to make it up to you by stepping in now."

"I know that you're more than capable of handling the job, but I lost all respect for you when you broke your promise and robbed my family. Not to mention I remember when you almost held a knife to my and Kaoru's throats. I'd never let someone like you near my child after knowing you're capable of _that_."

"Oh, Hikaru..." She moved in closer and tried to rest her hand comfortingly on his shoulder, but he smacked it away quickly.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on me. Just get the hell out of here and never come back! I never wanna see your disgusting face ever again!" he yelled at her, jumping out of his seat and looking at her for the first time in nearly eleven years.

He didn't show it, but he felt ready to cry as he looked at the one nanny he and Kaoru actually loved. She barely changed a bit; she barely looked like she aged and she was still in her a uniform. She had the same sleek black hair and devious-looking eyes. Her smirk didn't falter a bit after he smacked her. Unable to keep his angry face on any longer, he fell to the floor on his hands and knees as tears escaped his eyes.

"K-Kaoru and I loved you...more than any other staff member we ever had...a-and you betrayed us...you were even willing to threaten us and take our lives!" Hikaru cried out, shaking involuntarily as he stared at the carpeting, which was becoming wet from his tears.

The nerve this woman had; she betrayed them and suddenly came back, expecting forgiveness and his trust. Like hell he would let that happen. As desperate as he was to find a nanny, no way would he trust this woman ever again, especially with his own child. As his tears continued to fall, she got up off the piano bench and knelt to his level, placing a hand underneath his chin to bring his head up. His tears stopped and he didn't bother to smack her hand away this time. He stared into her eyes as she spoke, her smile still not faltering, as if she was proud of herself.

"Whoever said I came to apply for the job myself? You'd be a complete idiot to trust me again after what I did." She noticed Hikaru's eyes widening at that statement. He _really_ was expecting her to want the job for herself, but like usual, he was beyond wrong. "A couple years ago, I fled to France and began working undercover as a maid for yet another wealthy family. One of my fellow maids, a beautiful woman only a few years older than me, but much weaker and not able to do as much as myself, befriended me. She had lived in France her entire life, but she has family here in Japan and would prefer to work here if possible, but she would have to be incognito because of some complicated...'conditions' concerning her and her family. I'm doing this as a favor to her and asking you nicely on her behalf: please hire her so she can support herself while she's looking for her estranged son. I promise you that she's very kind and reliable, and far too innocent for her own good in my opinion either. Do both of you a favor and hire her."

After she was sure that Hikaru absorbed all the information she just told him, she helped him up and wiped some of the leftover tears on his face. He still stared at her and practically counted each step she took as she was walking out the door.

"When I heard about your open position, I gave her the address to this pension. She should be flying into Japan sometime this week so you can interview her for real. Now you can't say I never did anything for you. Oh, and before I go, I'm just wondering something...was this girl you're betrothed to able to tell you and your brother apart?"

Hikaru didn't say a word, but his eyes re-widening was enough indication to her.

"Hmm. You did well, Hikaru," were her last words before she left the pension and probably walked out of Hikaru's life for good this time.

"I was right...she really is an extraordinary nanny...in more ways than one," he said quietly to himself as he headed to the bathroom to wash up, feeling even more exhausted than he did after finishing wiping the tables.

* * *

"I have no choice but to vanquish thee in order to save my love, so **be gone**!" Tamaki yelled as he jumped as high as he could in mid-air, though he naturally couldn't very high, but that's what bungee cords were for.

Tamaki looked as handsome as ever in the new knight costume Renge bought for him for their _Sleeping Beauty_-based movie, which Renge was sure would bring in tons for the host club. Right now, they were working on the big fight scene in which Tamaki would destroy the evil witch's knave lackeys (Honey and Mori) in order to save his fair damsel in distress (Haruhi, no duh). The guys working above the incredible castle-like set yanked on his cords as hard as possible to give the effect that Tamaki was practically flying as he jumped to deliver the last blow onto his opponents.

"No, we are finished! Please forgive us, your highness! We tried only our very best, but he was invincible!" Honey cried out as he and Mori over-dramatically dropped to their knees, awaiting their defeat.

"Aah." With Mori's last statement, if you could call it that, Tamaki came down on them and was about to slice their heads off, until...

"CUT! That was perfect, you guys!" Renge yelled excitedly from the sidelines in her director's chair. "I'll have the engineer make Honey and Mori disappear in a cloud of smoke later!"

Just like with the first movie they made, she had an entire film crew flown in from L.A. in order to shoot this movie. The whole castle set was even built right on school grounds to make filming easier. The main cast was of course the host club and surprisingly, all their regulars were willing to volunteer and be a part of the movie making process. Besides Kyoya and Haruhi, everyone, mainly Tamaki, was quite ecstatic to do it, even Honey and Mori took the time to visit from the university to do it. It took some time, but Kyoya eventually came around to the idea once he realized that they'd make a ton of money for the club. For the sake of the club, he was even willing to sacrifice his weekends and his own dignity, and boy was he sacrificing it...

"I'm all for Renge making another movie that'll bring in money to make up for the funds that were depleted from the huge nursery shopping spree a few weeks ago, but is it really impossible to make the evil witch character a male?" Kyoya asked irritatedly as he sat in his seat by the set, ready for action in all of his evil (female) witch glory. "I'm kind of sick of always being looked at as a woman, for crying out loud..."

"But Kyoya! You look so perfect!" Renge gushed over him when she heard him whining. "It's all part of the movie! We can't change the evil witch character, that would just ruin the whole _Sleeping Beauty _atmosphere! All people can appreciate the evil witch-moe more than some stupid evil wizard, silly!"

"Fine, whatever. I'm ready for my scene," he said unenthusiastically as he got up and he began heading to his place on the set, but Renge didn't care how much he hated this as long as he was going along with it.

"Cheer up, Kyoya, this is so much fun! We're gonna get to fight each other now!" Tamaki exclaimed excitedly, already on the set posing with his sword. He continued to smile as Kyoya sneered at him, still unaware of how far Kyoya is willing to go to entertain him.

"Okay, you guys, this is the big fight scene between the valiant prince and the dark witch just before the prince finds his princess and wakes her from her eternal sleep with true love's kiss, so this just has to be perfect!" Renge yelled through her megaphone as she sat back in her director's chair. "Ready, and...ACT-"

"Renge-chan, we have a problem!" some girl cried out as she ran right up to Renge. The girl's sudden appearance right in the middle of shooting pissed Renge off, but she tried to keep her temper down low and didn't go all Medusa on her this time.

"Oh geez, what is it?"

"Haruhi-chan doesn't fit in her costume anymore!"

"**WHAT THE-**" As Renge said the last word in that outburst, Tamaki began to _loudly_ sharpen his blade.

* * *

Haruhi, wearing only a robe, sighed as she drummed her fingers along one of the arms of the chair she was sitting in. She sat as patiently as she could while waiting for the girls to come up with a solution for the little problem concerning her dress. She knew this would happen and tried to tell Renge weeks ago after she pitched the idea and bought the costume, but she's not exactly the type to think ahead though, or listen to other people who actually have their heads screwed on completely. Like Kyoya, she was _not _into all this craziness; she had enough on her plate already, though with the host club, craziness was always part of the equation. She just hoped that Renge wouldn't go _too _crazy on her for not fitting in her dress, even though it was totally out of her control...

Haruhi jumped a little when she heard her phone ringing as it sat on the counter. She saw Hikaru's name light up on it. She groaned as she picked up.

"What is it, Hikaru? You already woke me up at 5:00 this morning _just _to say good morning, and we're busy working on some movie Renge wanted so badly to make right now, so make it quick," Haruhi answered, still tired, but Hikaru obviously didn't care.

"Oh my gosh, Haruhi, it's the greatest thing EVER! I finally found the PERFECT nanny to watch over our sweet little akachan when we won't be able to! Everything's finally almost set! I swear, you'll love her! She seems so sweet and trustworthy and responsible and not a complete nutcase like all the others I've interviewed! Man, you would so not believe some of the stuff I've seen! I'm telling you, everything's gonna be great and wonderful and super-special-awesome I tell ya!" Hikaru went on and on excitedly. Haruhi just felt terrible now for still wanting to go with adoption.

"Th-that's great, Hikaru. I'm happy that you're happy about all this and that things are working out," Haruhi answered, trying to sound happy, but it was obviously insincere.

"I know, right? Finally, things are looking bright for once! I don't think I've ever felt so excited before for something! Aah, I miss you and akachan so much! I'm finally off the pill and don't ever feel the need to drink anymore, plus I miss my normal life, so I hope to see you soon, Haruhi! I love you two!"

Haruhi, after so long and feeling so hopeful, felt her heart break _again_. She still couldn't believe it. Hikaru was _so_ oblivious and living in his own little world. She had _prayed _that after this little trip he took, it would finally sink into his head that this was, as she and Kyoya reiterated over and over, a bigger deal than he realized! Whether Hikaru really is or not, Haruhi's not in love with him, they're not even really engaged (though he wasn't aware of it), they're only high school second years, _and _their child was conceived completely on accident! Any idiot could see that this was not a good situation! While she still appreciated the fact that Hikaru wanted to try so hard, she still was not sold and knew that she couldn't be because while he thinks they would be good parents, their child deserved way better. And he also didn't realize that no matter what they would choose, their lives would NEVER go back to how they used to be. If they were to actually go with adoption, which Haruhi still prayed for, it would still be in the back of their minds forever that their own flesh and blood would be somewhere out there on Earth being raised by other people.

But of course Haruhi wasn't gonna say any of that to him, at least not over the phone.

"I really miss you too, Hikaru. I hope to see you soon too. Bye," Haruhi said, this time being sincere. She did miss him and while she was happy with his decision to go, she wanted things back to normal as much as possible, and things would be closer to that if he were here. She really did love him, but was not _in _love with him still, sadly enough.

She looked as her phone sadly before snapping it closed and setting it back down on the counter. She only had a few seconds to sit in peace and quiet before she heard yelling and banging against her trailer's door.

"Haruhi-darling! Can you let me in, pretty please?" she heard Tamaki yell as he pounded his fists barbarically against the door. That wasn't exactly necessary of him to do, though he always does tend to make a bigger deal out of things than needed. If only he and Hikaru could balance each other out a bit...

"Yeah, you can come in if you want, sempai, but calm down. What's the big deal?" Haruhi asked in an annoyed tone as he came in out of breath, still in all his armor.

"Renge-kun wanted me to let you know that she's upset that you aren't able to fit into your costume anymore and said she's gonna look for a replacement, but I did argue that you are the most beautiful, gorgeous little girl a father could ask for and that that's her problem!" he announced as he held out his hand dramatically.

"Well, she can excuse me for not being able to stunt my own child's growth," Haruhi stated flatly. "If that's the case, than I think I'm gonna leave right now. I don't really want to waste my last weekend before exams if I don't have to," she said as she begun to get up and change behind one of the trailer's curtains.

"**Wait**!" Tamaki commanded as he grabbed her arm, scaring the crap out of Haruhi and making her fall back into her seat. "Before you go, there's a particular scene I wanna practice with you 'cause I'm really nervous, though it is a bit...incestous." Haruhi facepalmed at a certain word he just said. She knew just what scene he was referring to. Tamaki Suoh, the king of the host club who entertains women for a living, needed to practice _kissing_. "Please, my little angel? I swear it won't be that awkward."

Haruhi couldn't take the puppy eyes. Like she said, she didn't want to waste anymore time if she didn't have to, but she figured it wasn't a big deal and that it'd hopefully be kinda quick. It wouldn't be incestous at all, though she was a bit nervous and did feel a little awkward at the thought, but she swallowed her pride and was willing to help him. Everyone's already done so much for her...

_'Ugh, this will be weird, but...it's just acting. I was already originally supposed to do it anyway.' _"Okay, fine, but please make it quick," she groaned, leaning out of her seat to get her face closer to his, but she soon felt his hand pushing her face back.

"No, no, no! I have to do it _to _you! Tilt your head back a bit so it'll be like the real position my new Sleeping Beauty's gonna be in!" he stated. Haruhi groaned loudly (on purpose) and did as she was told. It kind of hurt though as she was staring straight at the ceiling. "Perfect! Now don't move, Haruhi. I'm want my first try to go perfectly!"

_'Oh God...' _Haruhi thought.

This wasn't a real kiss at all, so she didn't think it was a big deal or anything. Despite that, she still mentally prepared herself and felt prepared once she felt his soft lips make contact with hers. As they locked together in this almost uncomfortable position, Haruhi pushed herself to continue. It wasn't exactly a peck or anything, so she had to kept it up to keep the mood going. She felt almost annoyed by it actually. She felt absolutely _nothing_ when doing this with him, and she didn't expect anything more.

Tamaki, on the other hand, was _not_ prepared for what he felt as they went on with it. He could tell that he was doing it perfectly _acting-wise_ and that it probably looked good already, but something inside him shocked him. He was feeling something weird as he sucked her face. As her father, it felt weird that he was feeling so...happy, as he did this. His eyes widened as he realized they were still going on, so he broke it abruptly.

"Okay, was that good enough for you, sempai? That wasn't too bad actually," Haruhi commented, as if what they just did was absolutely no big deal. She noticed how almost freaked out he looked once they finished, and she was certainly confused about it. "Uh, Tamaki-sempai? Are you okay? Do you need to try again? I thought it went fine."

"Uh...uh...uh, n-n-no, Haruhi. That one was fine..." he said, shaking unbelievably fast. Haruhi noticed it, but she thought he just didn't think it really did go perfectly and was freaked out about that. _'No! Do it again because it was so wonderful!' _"What the hell am I thinking! No way! That was perfect, Haruhi! You can go now, so bye!"

Before Haruhi could bid goodbye back, Tamaki was out of there in literally no time. She barely saw him run out and close the door.

"Okay...that was kinda weird, but at least I'm free now," she said to herself as she shrugged and got up to change.

She thinks she knows people so well, now doesn't she? And that she's aware of everything around her, huh?

* * *

"Mommy!" Tamaki screamed in terror as he ran over to Kyoya, who was writing away about stuff under a tree while waiting for Renge's next order. It was rare that he had this opportunity to relax after all this time. "Mommy!" Tamaki collapsed on his knees and breathed heavily once he made it to Kyoya.

"I heard you the first time. What is it?" Kyoya asked without looking from his book, probably now writing about what's going on at that moment with Tamaki.

"Oh man, oh man, oh man!" Tamaki kept freaking out, sweating to death as he was kneeling in the grass, holding his head in total stress "It was...it was...I was...I was...just in Haruhi's trailer...and...OMG!"

"Tamaki, are you freaking out because you accidentally walked in on her changing again and saw her naked this time?" Kyoya asked, still keeping his cool like (almost) always as he wrote.

"Oh, it was WAY bigger than that! So much more...oh man!" Kyoya began writing more rapidly. To think something even more momentous than seeing Haruhi in the nude just happened. No doubt _that'd _be interesting. Tamaki finally began breathing and settled down a little, though he still shook uncontrollably. "Okay, okay, what happened was...I was letting her know about Renge's decision and all, and while I was there, I...I really wanted to practice the...kissing scene...with her..."

Kyoya's eyes expanded so widely, they definitely were as wide as the lenses of his glasses at this point. He had a feeling where this was going, and he was somewhat happy about it.

"Continue, Tamaki."

"Okay, well, we both got into position to...do the scene 'cause...well, I still haven't kissed anyone and since she's usually so honest, I figured she'd tell me if I was any good or not." Tamaki couldn't even imagine how interested Kyoya was getting as every new word escaped his lips. "So...I leaned in and did it...and...and...it was weird. I felt so weird. I have no idea how the hell to explain it...Kyoya, what do you think this weird feeling is? It didn't seem weird as if we were being...incestous or anything...it was like, I felt almost giddy as we did it. After I finally stopped, my mind told me to do it again...what the hell does this mean, Kyoya?"

_'So, so, so close...yet he still can't get it, even after all this time...'_

Kyoya, after finishing recording all that Tamaki just said, looked down at the pathetic soul who was just staring at the ground in a mix of agony and confusion. He couldn't believe that he still doesn't get it...what it means to kiss someone and feel something magical. It's in practically every single movie, show, and book out there!

"Oh, Tamaki. Poor, naive, Tamaki. You're such a dolt, you know that?" Kyoya chuckled as Tamaki tilted his head up to glare at Kyoya for the statement he just made, but Kyoya just smirked back at him. "Well, don't answer that, 'cause you'll just deny it. But seriously? You kissed her, it felt weird in an almost wonderful way to you from what you've told me, and you want to do it again. What do you think that means?"

"I don't know! That's why I'm asking you! It's confusing me so much...I'm her father, so why would I ever enjoy making out with her?"

"Tamaki, didn't we already go through this with the whole Kasanoda incident? You're not _really_ her father. While you might be like a father to her like you always insist upon, _everyone_ knows you truly aren't, so it's not weird for you to feel this way."

Kyoya almost hated the fact that he was doing this. He was practically telling Tamaki himself that _Tamaki_ was in love with _Haruhi_, which is pretty sad that he couldn't realize it, or worse, accept it. Unfortunately, because of this whole thing with Hikaru, it would probably end in heartbreak for him because everyone knew that it was really Hikaru she belonged with and who she needed more than anyone else. Things were going so well when Tamaki seemed to just fail to realize it, but now, because of what he just did, it'd be better for him to find out and accept it now than sometime much later so he can just get it over with already. It was so cruel, but it had to just be done _now_.

"So...since I'm not her father, it's not weird that I felt the way I felt? Okay, fine, but I still have no clue what I was feeling!" Kyoya couldn't take it anymore. The pen just dropped out of his hand. Tamaki was subconsciously denying it.

"Tamaki, just stop it because I'm not playing along with you anymore. We both know well what you're feeling, so stop denying it. The second you kissed her, you finally figured it out. You know what you were feeling when you guys kissed and it's natural that you're freaking out about it and wish you weren't feeling it."

Tamaki saw the grim look now on Kyoya's face and Kyoya saw that Tamaki was on the verge of tears, now realizing more what was going on, but Kyoya, who still felt bad, wasn't holding it back anymore.

"And it's obvious that you're denying it because you believe it'll just end in heartbreak for you, so you've come to me hoping I'll tell you otherwise, but I'm honest too. I won't tell you otherwise because you need to accept how you feel about her or else you won't until much later, and trust me, it'll hurt even more the longer you wait to accept this. Just say it, Tamaki. We can still be _like _a family like I know you probably want, but stop it with the denial. Show me that you're not a coward who's gonna keep up this ridiculous charade forever just to mask how he really feels about one person! Say it, dammit!" Kyoya commanded him firmly.

That was it. Kyoya regretted nearly everything he said once he saw the look on Tamaki's face, but he didn't get to for long. Once Tamaki's mind absorbed everything Kyoya said, he used both of his hands to shield his face in shame as the tears began escaping. Kyoya, though he was strong enough to not cry, felt like the monster he knew he always was, but this time, he felt bad about it because he just hurt his best friend. So it had to be done, but Kyoya knew it could have been done in a nicer way.

"...I can't, Kyoya. It hurts too much...I just can't...and you're wrong. I can't imagine it hurting any bit more later than it does right now...but it's my fault...I just had to kiss her and realize it all...and that stupid devil has to take her away from me...I just lost my only chance to have her as my own princess, even if it wasn't for real...and that's all his fault too that she can't be my princess right now!" He wasn't speaking loudly or clearly, but Kyoya heard everything he said.

Just as Kyoya was gonna reach out his hand to help him up, without warning, Tamaki smacked it away and ran to his trailer in his distress. Kyoya looked on sadly at the door that just slammed shut. He was gonna have to tell Renge to postpone the rest of today's shooting.


	17. When You're Gone

(A/N: Yeah, last chapter was pretty sad for poor Tamaki...:( I know I said that this chapter would be really sweet and touching, and I promise it will be, but not until the next chapter will it get really HikaHaru-ish, so please bear with me. Please enjoy still! I wanted to do this chapter first so you guys won't have to worry about Tamaki for too long! Sorry it's a bit shorter.)

* * *

"Tama-chan, please come out! You've been in there forever and we feel sad when you're being sad! Please come out! We're begging you!" Honey sobbed loudly as he banged his hands continuously on the door to Tamaki's trailer, but he got no response.

"Settle down, Mitsukuni. Your yelling won't make him feel any better," Mori said firmly as he stood next to Honey, who stopped and looked up at his cousin with his big, brown orbs that were filled with more tears just ready to spill out.

"But Takashi, it's just so horrible! Tama-chan's so sad and I just wanna make him happy!" Honey began crying even harder as he held on tightly to Mori's leg. Mori looked down at him sadly and patted his back comfortingly. He wanted to help Tamaki just as much, but none of them could do anything to help him in this situation.

After Kyoya pushed Tamaki over the edge about his feelings for Haruhi, Tamaki ran into his trailer for hours just to sulk. For once, it was _real _sulking, not just him going into his emo corner to be all dramatic because Haruhi made some comment. He was absolutely miserable, not to mention heartbroken, over the things Kyoya said. The worst part was that it was all true. Every little thing Kyoya said, but Tamaki didn't want to believe any of it. He wanted his family setting to stay the same forever, then they would all be happy forever and things would be fine again, but that was not a realistic wish unfortunately.

With the distress Kyoya knew Tamaki have to have been feeling, he went right to Renge and didn't have much difficulty convincing her to postpone the rest of today's shooting (considering she could never get mad at _him_). She, the girls, and the whole crew cleaned up everything and went there own ways, but the remaining three host club members stayed behind just to make sure that their president would be okay.

While Kyoya wouldn't admit it, he and the other two, and probably Haruhi and the twins for that matter, knew that they were a family. Even if they weren't blood, Tamaki brought them all together himself and they were all eternally grateful for it. They all came to love each other eventually, and when that bond was tested so many months ago at the Ouran Fair, they all passed. They all tried their hardest to keep their family together and their love kept them together. Now, the one guy who brought them all together and created their family atmosphere was feeling like it was all crumbling down now because he committed incest (which was the only way he was willing to word it, instead of just saying _it_ already).

Kyoya, who was casually leaning against the side of the trailer with his arms crossed, could still feel his heart breaking as he sadly watched Honey cry and Mori attempt to make him feel better. He sighed, knowing that Tamaki would have to come out himself and that none of them could do anything. Like the other day at the mall with Haruhi, he felt like he failed once again, only this time the 'victim' that he failed wasn't coming out to tell him he didn't fail at anything.

_'Dammit, I can't believe this. Everything was fine until he just had to go and kiss her. Well, something in his mind had to have been clicking, otherwise he could have chosen any other girl. But still...now how's he gonna face Haruhi and Hikaru ever again, especially if they hopefully do get together for real at some point? And how's he gonna bare to look at his "grandchild", knowing how much he loves the child's mother and that it's father is some other guy? This seems practically hopeless. How could I allow all this crap to happen? If I just hadn't brought us all to that stupid island...'_

Kyoya had never felt so guilty before in his life. He felt responsible for every bad thing that had happened, and sadly, it could all be traced back to him, but that wasn't going to help anything. He didn't want to think about that right now though. He was far too mad at himself to think rationally for once and that it wasn't time to play the blame game again.

He groaned loudly when he heard his phone ring in his pocket. He wasn't exactly in the mood to chat with anyone about anything right now, unless it was Tamaki about feeling better.

"What is it?" he asked impatiently, not wanting to sound _too_ pissed off.

"Hey Kyoya-sempai! I have a wonderful surprise for Tono I just know he'll love! But he can't see it at home, it has to be at school. I've already sent it and it should be there very soon!" Kyoya mentally smacked himself for not looking at the caller ID before picking up. He especially didn't want to talk to this particular person right now.

"Hikaru, this had better not be some stupid prank," Kyoya said coldly, which took Hikaru aback a bit. "Tamaki's not feeling his usual jovial self right now, so stop the delivery on whatever it is if that's what it is." Kyoya was definitely not going to telling Hikaru what was really going on. He was already feeling so much better since Kaoru's death; Kyoya was not going to spoil that if this could be fixed soon without him ever needing to know.

"I absolutely swear on my life that it's not a prank! I know he'll love it! Please, just send it his way once it arrives! Or should I say, _she _arrives?" Kyoya sighed at how happy (and somewhat cocky) Hikaru was sounding. He had no clue what he was talking about.

"What's going on, Hikaru? Who is this woman?"

"The nanny I finally found! I swear, she's totally normal and definitely seems trustworthy compared to the other weirdos we interviewed! But I assure you, Tono will be overcome with joy once he meets her himself! Gotta go now, bye!"

Kyoya didn't get a chance to say anything before Hikaru hurriedly hung up on him, not that he really had anything to say, but he still wanted to know who the hell this woman was.

_'What's the big deal? I don't really know why Hikaru thinks Tamaki would give a damn about whoever this nanny is, especially when he's in complete emotional turmoil-' _he thought as he snapped his phone shut and pocketed it, but his thoughts were interrupted when he noticed some woman had suddenly appeared right in front of him, almost scaring him half to death. _'Wow, that was quick.'_

"Hello, I'm sorry to bug you, but is René somewhere nearby?" the strange woman asked, smiling brightly.

Kyoya, out of his curiosity, examined the woman thoroughly. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something vaguely familiar about her. She could've possibly been somewhere between late thirties to mid forties, and she had long blonde locks and indigo eyes. Not to mention she was definitely Caucasian and not at all Japanese. There was also something about the cheerful and romantic aura she gave off, yet Kyoya couldn't figure her out by just looking at her.

"You're the nanny that Hikaru has hired, am I correct?" Kyoya asked as he adjusted his glasses, trying to sound polite, but was still in a slight state of shock.

"Why yes I am! Forgive me for not properly introducing myself, my name is Anne-Sophie Grantaine. I had just flown in from France and I don't have much money on me, so I needed a job with a good amount of pay and Mr. Hitachiin is offering me a very generous wage for when I start; he's even compensating me now so I can purchase an apartment while we wait for the little darling to arrive! But anyway, Mr. Hitachiin told me that René might be here and I've missed him dearly, so is he nearby?"

Kyoya, along with Honey and Mori who heard her clearly a few yards away, froze the second they heard that name slip out. Many unbelievable events have have been occurring left and right the past several months, and the arrival of none other than Tamaki's estranged mother was definitely near the top of the list. They didn't have any clue as to how she got over to Japan, or how Hikaru found her and sent her over here so discreetly; they were all just too shocked to say the least. While Hikaru nearly had Haruhi in the palm of his hand, he was unintetionally making it all up to Tamaki right now.

Kyoya, though still speechless, realized how ironic it was that this woman just arrived with such good timing. Of course Tamaki's own mother could make him feel better above all people! He was depressed at the moment, but it just might help him.

"Um...uh, are you referring to Tamaki Suoh, Ms. Grantaine?" Kyoya struggled to get out. Anne-Sophie could see the absolute shock on his face and just lightly giggled. "If so, he's right inside this trailer and you could go ahead in if you please, but I must warn you. He's not exactly in a very good mood right now."

At that last sentence, Anne-Sophie's smile disappeared and she wondered, "Oh, is René alright? Is something going on?"

"Well, not exactly," Kyoya said, adjusting his glasses out of his nervousness. "He's somewhat depressed at this moment in time right now about something and he won't come out or let any of us talk to him. My apologies for what's going on right now; I unfortunately am partially to blame for his current state. I'd feel better if he'd tell you everything himself. He might actually talk to you." It broke Kyoya's heart further when he saw Anne-Sophie begin to tear up as she slapped her hands over her mouth in shock.

"Oh my gosh, that's terrible! If it's alright, might I go ahead in? Maybe I could get through to him."

Kyoya bowed as he stepped aside and let Anne-Sophie go. He also motioned for Honey and Mori to step aside so she could get in. She knocked lightly on the door once she made her way to it.

"René, are you in there?" she asked loudly as she knocked, but got no response.

"We're sorry, madam, but Tama-chan's been in there forever and won't respond no matter what we try. I don't think he locked the door though, so go ahead and try," Honey said in a low voice. Anne-Sophie looked down at him sadly and nodded, then turned back and slowly turned the handle.

"René?" she called again as she slowly opened the trailer's door.

She was somewhat stunned to see that, besides the light escaping into it through the door, the inside of the trailer made her feel as if she were in a miserable abyss of nothingness. All of the windows had dark duct tape taped over them, so there was very little light, yet it wasn't too hard to make anything out. She hesitatingly closed the door (which made seeing anything harder) and quietly tip-toed into it.

This was absolutely heartbreaking for the poor woman. Tamaki was always a happy child. Even when he had to leave for Japan he barely showed any sadness. Well, it was either that or he just held it in very well. But for the first time ever, he wasn't holding back. He was showing how miserable he was. Anne-Sophie couldn't even imagine him being this way, yet she eventually saw a particular figure in the darkness.

Said figure was sitting lifelessly in his chair in front of the make-up counter. For once, he wasn't proudly staring at his beautiful reflection in the mirror right in front of him. For once, he didn't even want to because he didn't feel beautiful. He didn't want to looked at her teared stained face. He had never felt so worthless and unloved before. Not even his grandmother's rejection or him not being able to see his mother again could compare to the pain and heartbreak he was feeling that very moment. Well, that was it. This was in fact his first, real heartbreak, and it was completely unexpected none the less. He honestly didn't realize his love towards Haruhi was at all..._romantic_. He never realized that he always felt that way and his mind was subconsciously making it to be 'fatherly' love in order for him to avoid this, but he had no clue until they kissed. It wasn't even real, but the emotions that flowed through his body certainly were.

He wished they didn't. He knew and accepted long ago that Haruhi belonged with Hikaru. He was who she needed, and that's the kind of _real _family setting their baby would need. He wanted to believe that wasn't true oh so badly. He wanted to believe that he could have her to himself no matter what. If not, he would've wanted to keep the host club's 'family' setting forever.

Then of course, Kyoya made him face facts. He wouldn't have her, but Hikaru would. Their family setting wouldn't ever stay exactly the same forever, baby or no baby. He would have to accept this, no matter what the pain was. But at this moment, Tamaki Suoh didn't want to accept anything. He would've just been better off dead...at least he believed that at that particular moment, because all hope was gone...

"René, please say something."

Or was it _really_ all gone?

"...M-mother...?"

* * *

Hikaru stared absent-mindedly at the picture in his hands; he was amazed that he could make out what was in it considering he had a very little minimal source from where he was lying. The first time he looked at it, he thought it was a picture of a famous abstract painting (which is SO wasn't). The second, a sonogram of two of Haruhi's organs, which was according to Mori (much, much, much closer, but still no). This being the third time, he knew what those two things were: his unborn children. He, at this point, was able to get past the fact that one of them was gone. It still saddened him, but like the one doctor told Haruhi, it was just meant to happen. He was just absolutely grateful that one of them was still there and instead of dwelling on the fact that one was gone, he focused all his energy on taking care of the living one once he or she arrived.

He was especially happy today because he was finally home after two long months away from his best friends, and much more importantly, his beloved Haruhi! He had made a lot while working for Misuzu-san, was able to keep up with school crap, got a lot of adorable baby outfits and maternity dresses made, found a nanny, had the house furnished (including the nursery), kept his family's rep well by doing one interview about the 'engagement', and was officially no longer an addict.

_'...Man, when did I of all people become so mature and responsible. It's almost kinda gross.'_He shuddered at such a thought, but he was completely sure he was doing the right thing and was handling it well. He wanted Haruhi, and he wanted to keep his child no matter what the cost. He knew he'd be happy that way, and he knew that's what Kaoru wanted. _'Hey, I'm almost being totally selfless by doing all this! Man, I'm good!'_ He smiled cockily, proud of all his efforts. Apparently, some things never change.

He was especially glad he was back today. He knew Haruhi had an appointment today and was having another ultrasound done. There was no way he wanted to miss that; he planned on surprising her by being there and just knew it'd be awesome! Unfortunately, he was somewhat stuck at the moment...

* * *

For the past...who knew how long, Anne-Sophie felt even more heartbroken as her son, who tried to hold back his tears, explained everything that was happening. All about the girl that he loved who obviously didn't love him back was none other than the mother of Anne-Sophie's new employer's future child. She had no idea that Hikaru or the girl he spoke so fondly of had any sort of connection with her long lost son, nor did she realize how important said girl could've possibly been to Tamaki. It was so tragic to her.

From the way Tamaki described her, it was just as Hikaru did. She could tell that her son truly did love and care for this girl and this whole situation he was telling her was indeed a tragedy within itself. The worst part was that sadly, she couldn't tell Tamaki what he wanted to hear, that he would get Haruhi eventually and that he'd live happily ever after with her. It wouldn't happen; Hikaru was her true prince, not the host club's 'prince type'. At the same time, she didn't want Tamaki to think that Haruhi was out of his life completely either, because that wasn't true at all that he'd have to give her up entirely.

"I'm so sorry, René. I wish I could help you so much," Anne-Sophie said as she hugged him and patted his back while he hugged her back and sobbed into his shoulder, though he was starting to dry his eyes out. He was so sad, he couldn't even enjoy the fact that he was finally reunited with his mother after so long.

"Oh, mother...what's gonna happen? What should I do? I don't know if I could ever face either of them ever again..." Tamaki said softly, his face still buried into his mom's shoulder, but she quickly nudged him to move and to look at her.

"René, please look me straight in the eye and tell me, you still love this girl with all your heart no matter what, right?" she asked him, trying to be firm but still sympathetic at the same time. She hated seeing him look at her looking like such a mess, but she had to do this.

"Yes, mother, more than anyone else. That's why it hurts so much," Tamaki replied, trying his best to choke it out, having slight difficulty.

"You want her to be happy, right? It makes you happy to see her happy?"

"Absolutely! Her happiness is so important to me and I love seeing her smile! She's just so cute!"

"Then please listen to me, René, because this is important."

Tamaki knew she was being serious when he felt both of her hands resting on his own shoulders and when he saw the grim look on her own face, almost like how Kyoya was earlier. The only difference was that there was a hint of sympathy mixed in there somewhere, and that was much more comforting to look at.

"If you truly love her, than you must remember something: her needs and her happiness must come before yours. I know you know this because you're one of the kindest, most thoughtful young men out there. You always put others before yourself. You always would take care of me and stay by my side instead of playing with other children, and that meant the world to me. Just at this moment though, you might be feeling a little selfish and are thinking about what _you_ want for once, and that's okay sometimes. It's normal and it makes you human. While I love to think you are, you aren't perfect, but that's okay."

She could see the look of horror that came across his face when she said that he wasn't perfect, and that wasn't totally unexpected, but that wouldn't stop her now.

"It's only natural for you to feel this way if you truly love her, but again, if you want to show her so, you must remember that she will _always_ have to come first, otherwise you don't really love her and she won't have any reason to show any sort of love back."

At his mother's words, Tamaki looked down at the floor for a seconds, letting it all soak in. He finally stopped crying after all this time. He knew she was right about all this. If he really did love Haruhi, he wouldn't continue to think of himself and what he wanted, but of her and her needs. He knew he was usually like that too, but at this moment of realization about everything, he just kinda lost it for a second. As he absorbed all this information, he sighed heavily and looked back up at his mother. Her eyes softened and she slightly smiled when she noticed that a look of understanding come across his face.

"I know, Mother, and you're right...about everything," Tamaki said quietly, but he couldn't bring himself to smile.

"And what about your friend, and even their child, you love them too, don't you?"

"Yes, Mother, with all my heart! I'll admit that I'm mad at him still, especially for what he did, but...you're right, I do. But..." Tamaki didn't really understand where she was going now or what Hikaru or their akachan had to do with him and Haruhi.

"Well, your friend Hikaru's needs need to be considered as well if you really care about him." Tamaki's eyes widened. He now understood where his mother was going with this, and while it wouldn't be what he wanted to hear, it was also true. "He just lost one of the two closest people to him, and he obviously treasures the one he has left. Don't you think he needs her just a teeny bit more?"

Tamaki looked down sadly again. On the inside, he hated this discussion so much. He didn't like hearing the truth, that Hikaru did need Haruhi more than he did. Hikaru honestly had no one else as important to him. And Anne-Sophie didn't need to say anything about the baby. Tamaki knew what she meant by bringing him or her into this too. Tamaki knew it'd be only fair for him or her to be able to stay with his or her parents no matter what and have a real family. That wouldn't be possible if Hikaru and Haruhi couldn't be together.

Tamaki knew that Hikaru had gone through enough already for crying out loud. He remembered so many months ago when he and the rest of the guys got the SOS from where Hikaru and Haruhi weren't able to bring Kaoru's body back to shore alone on the jet ski. He remembered when he saw Kaoru's lifeless body and everyone's saddened faces, even Kyoya's. He especially remembered how dead Hikaru looked as the boat took them back and when the doctor pronounced Kaoru as dead. Hikaru didn't need anything else taken from him now, no matter how much it hurt Tamaki.

Tamaki finally smiled, and Anne-Sophie didn't need to say how proud she was of her son when he hugged her back tightly.

"You're right, Mother. Thank you so much for all you have done, and for what you're doing for my friends. I love you and I've missed you so much."


	18. Why

(A/N: Okay, here's the chappie [along with the next one] all HikaHaru lovers have been waiting for! I told myself to at least get this one done before my first day back Tuesday [my school does this weird thing where all freshmen go Monday alone, then all upperclassmen Tuesday, then everyone Wednesday and for the rest of the year], so sadly after this, updates probably won't come nearly as fast! I'm so sorry, I really hate this too! But don't think about that right now, think about this super cute and touching chappie, okay? :D This was definitely fun to write, but hard because I wanted it to be REALLY good because it's so special, plus I gave myself kind of a deadline, so I hope it satisfies!)

* * *

It was absolutely _killing _Hikaru, practically stabbing him right in the gut! He could make out Haruhi from where he was and could hear her talking to her doctor, obviously about akachan, and he wanted to be part of the conversation _so_ badly. Sadly, his plan to surprise her didn't exactly go so well and he found himself stuck and, unless he didn't mind tearing his pants, unable to move from the incredibly uncomfortable position he was in. He knew she was coming here right after shooting for that movie was done today, so he arrived early, which only made the awkwardness go on even longer...

_'Dammit! Me and my "brilliant" ideas! I could've just gone the old-fashioned way and just gone into the doctor's office in the first place and surprise her once she came in, but _no_! I just _had _to be creative and get stuck in the grossest part of any building known to man! I should be down their with them right now talking about our sweet little son or daughter! Daddy deserves to be part of the conversation too! Is this what Tono feels like all the time? Eh, what do I care? Damn, why do my pants have to be so retarded? And why the hell is there a stray nail here for them to get caught onto in the first place? SO not coming in here ever again for anything no matter what...' _Hikaru thought angrily to himself as he tried listening in, though it was difficult to see what was actually happening.

"How have things been since the little Splash Mountain incident, Miss Fujioka? Has everything else been okay since?" Takanura asked smiling brightly as she squeezed the gel onto Haruhi's stomach.

"Everything's going fine, m'am," Haruhi replied, smiling back, somewhat excited to be getting more recent pictures today. Hikaru watched in agony, knowing what was happening and not getting to be there to enjoy it. "I've been taking care of myself, taking vitamins, eating heathily, trying not to work too hard, all that. I'm kinda worried, though, because I haven't felt any movement yet."

"I wouldn't worry about right now, Miss Fujioka," Takanura assured her as she took the wand and started looking for akachan on the monitor. "He or she just might not be very active yet; maybe the baby is just more reserved in personality. I've heard that expecting mothers sometimes put headphones on their stomachs so their babies could listen to music! That might get him or her moving." Haruhi laughed at how silly that sounded and how weird that would look, but the doctor exclaimed excitedly before Haruhi could say anything. "Look, Miss Fujioka! There's your baby!"

Both Haruhi and Hikaru jumped when they heard her say that last part. Haruhi tried her hardest to sit up (which has become a difficult task recently) to look at the monitor. She stared at it in complete awe. The last time she was here, all she could see on the same monitor was what looked more or less like a couple of disfigured ovals (one of which wouldn't be there any longer, sadly). This time, she clamped a hand over her mouth and tried to hold back her tears, which were of joy for once, when she saw what actually resembled an actual baby.

"Oh my gosh..." Haruhi practically whispered, still in awe. "It's absolutely incredible..."

_'This is toture! I should be there looking at our child too!'_

"I'm sure it feels so, Miss Fujioka. I'll be sure to get a sonogram made for you. Also, we're able to find out the gender if you'd like to know," Takanura said as she moved the wand around her stomach more.

"I would actually," Haruhi said quietly as she moved her hand from her mouth and regained her composure. Needless to say that this was all still so surreal for her, and now she could find out whether she and Hikaru were having a son or daughter now and could stop going 'he or she' all the time, which honestly started getting tedious...

"Alrighty then..." Takanura looked intently at the screen so not to be mistaken. Haruhi was feeling anxious to finally know. "Well congratulations! It looks like you'll be having a healthy little-"

"**NO!**"

All of a sudden, and _completely, 100% _unexpectedly, at the sound of that blood-curdling scream, the covering over the air vent on the ceiling fell down and crashed hard onto the floor, along with a certain mischievous red head. Haruhi and Takanura both obviously screamed in terror at the sound of the ear-splitting crash. They both started coughing hard as the dust scattered across the room.

"What the hell!" Takanura exclaimed as she and Haruhi continued coughing as the dust began to clear away. Her and Haruhi's eyes widened greatly and their mouths hung open once they could see said red head lying on the floor, wincing in pain...without his pants none the less. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay, sir?"

"Ow...that was not fun...at all...stupid, flimsy air vents..." Hikaru squeaked, his own eyes widened and slightly twitching from the shock of the fall.

He now knew better than to freak out when on the verge of falling down an entire story. Miraculously, he didn't feel that anything was broken, torn, scratched, etc., though he felt slightly sore in some places. Had he not been feeling sore in his neck, he would've been able to look up to see the completely freaked out look on Haruhi's face and would be on his knees apologizing for scaring the crap out of her.

"Hikaru? My God, what the hell!" Haruhi cried out, clutching her middle tightly with a hand as she sat up. "What were you even doing up there for crying out loud? Were you _trying_ to make me go into early labor? I'm surprised the baby didn't jump out of fear from the heart attack I just got!"

"Ow..." he groaned as he grabbed the side of the sink and worked his way up to his feet. He rubbed his head as he got himself able to stand up without leaning on anything. "Hey, Haruhi! I missed you!" he said excitedly, but still dizzy and freaked out himself from crashing onto the floor. "Uh, it's a really funny story actually! Hehe...uh, I hope I'm not in too much trouble, please..."

* * *

"O-kay...I knew you and the others had a tendency to think outside the box a lot, but you've gotta be kidding me this time," Haruhi said flatly as she and Hikaru ate their yogurt while they talked for the first time in person since he was over at her place after the Disney trip. He just laughed at her, which made her sweatdrop.

After they all got over the shock of Hikaru falling out of the air vents, they continued on with the appointment, and Hikaru was ecstatic to finally be a part of it and see his child on the monitor for the first time. (He was also quite happy to get a new pair of pants from Takanura.) He of course was also just as excited to finally be with him or her and Haruhi after two long months and wouldn't let go of her the whole ride to Yogurtland until she finally pried him off.

She wouldn't admit it, but somewhere deep down, she had deeply missed him herself and felt so good when she was in his arms once again. She couldn't explain this feeling at all, this feeling that it was right to be with him even if he was suffocating her, but she brushed it off for the moment.

Once they got their yogurt and sat down, Haruhi got him caught up on all that's gone on, which included Kyoya's plan of Haruhi being a girl at school (which Hikaru loved); how she eventually blew off the wig and just told everyone she got a haircut like her 'brother's'; how because of the engagement, boys left her alone (which Hikaru _really _loved); the crazy cosplay they did; how Honey and Mori were doing at college; all the shopping that was done; Renge's insane movie idea; etc. Hikaru then filled her in on working at Pension Misuzu and how he didn't dislike it as much as he intended; all the designing and sewing he got to do (and how happy he was to see her wearing the adorable sleeveless, summer-y yellow top he made her to go with the cute, bedazzled jeans she was wearing); finding Tamaki's mother (which shocked the hell out of Haruhi); and of course, what the hell he was thinking when he decided to surprise her by falling out of the air vents.

"Hey, if my pants didn't get caught onto the stupid nail, it would've been perfect! I happen to like having originality, but alas, my plan fell kinda flat, literally..." Cue rim shot and Haruhi rolling her eyes. "But anyway, I missed you so much, Haruhi! And I missed you too, my precious little akachan!" he squealed, again, practically tipping the table over on her said as he tried snuggling with her again across the table, but she casually pushed him away before her yogurt spilled on her.

"Okay, I missed you too, Hikaru, but my feelings of being happy to see you again are gonna completely wear off if you don't give me a little space. Plus, I don't want us to start getting stares from people," she said irritably as she pushed him away, which made him sadden, but Haruhi was too used to putting up with Tamaki's puppy face to fall for it. "But anyway, what were you freaking out about when the doctor was telling me the gender? Don't you want to know whether he or she is gonna be a boy or a girl?" She especially wanted to know since she was sure any couples she'd talk about adoption to would like to know if they were getting a son or daughter.

"No. I thought you knew me _so _well, Haruhi. I'm into surprises, and that includes this," Hikaru said matter-of-factly with a sour-looking face as he leaned back in his seat as he sipped up the rest of his melted yogurt, but he perked up quickly in ecstacy. "And now that I'm back, I have something really awesome to show you! Finish up so we can go already!"

Haruhi nearly jumped out of her skin _again _when she felt Hikaru grab her arm (therefore sending her cup flying and hitting someone in the head and getting yogurt all over them) and start dragging her out of Yogurtland and to the side of the road where he had the limo parked.

"Hikaru, wait!" At her words, he halted just as they got to the limo and he looked at her curiously. Haruhi couldn't believed he actually stopped, but was grateful for it and decided to appreciate it. "Before we go to wherever you wanna take me, would it be alright if we stop a couple places first? It's really kinda important to me and I'd really appreciate it."

* * *

"Roses?"

"Yeah, something that's usually sold in a flower shop, believe it or not." Hikaru just narrowed his eyes at her sarcasm, but then told his driver to take them to the other place Haruhi wanted to go to.

"What're they for?"

"I'm not telling you. You'll see when we get to our next destination. I just hope that you don't mind the hold-up on whatever it was that you want to show me, but this is, as I said, very special to me, and it will be for you too. I just know it." Hikaru decided to keep him mouth shut when he saw the serious, almost saddened look that came upon on her face. Plus, he wanted to let her do whatever it was she wanted, and he knew she'd appreciate it if he didn't question it any further.

She had really wanted them to stop over at a nearby flower shop, where she quickly ran in to buy a beautiful bouquet of white roses and ran back in. (Hikaru mentally slapped himself for not having flowers with him when he met up with her earlier.) Hikaru was frustrated that she wouldn't give him any detail as to what was going on. She even told the place they were going to to the driver quietly so Hikaru couldn't hear. But he wasn't gonna say anything further. He began to space out a bit and didn't even notice that the limo stopped until Haruhi nudged him.

"Hikaru, we're here," she said as she shook him a bit.

"Wait, what?" He was a bit groggy, but he woke up once he felt Haruhi's hand on his shoulder. "Oh, okay, let's go ahead and..." The driver came over to his side of the limo and opened the door for both of them to get out on. Once Hikaru lifted one of his legs out of the limo, he froze and his eyes widened in surprise when he realized where they were.

It was none other than the cemetery where Haruhi's mom, Kotoko, happened to by buried at. In addition, it was also where Kaoru was buried.

"Go ahead, Hikaru," Haruhi said as she pushed him from behind. That got him to move and get out of the limo after several minutes, but he still just stood there motionless.

"Haruhi..." he began, looking down at the ground sadly. Haruhi got out and stood next to him as the driver shut the door and went back into the limo. She had a feeling that he'd be this way, but she had a feeling that coming here would be important for him as well. "What are we doing here?"

Without looking at him, but looking straight at the graves in front of them where no one else was in sight, she spoke quietly. "Well, to be honest, like Kaoru, my mom died around winter, but I thought about this for a while and figured we should come here, even if it isn't the real anniversay of her death. I am having her future grandchild after all, I figured I'd let her know in person about how everything's going myself, even if she can see everything from Heaven. I talk to her at home all the time, but I think this is a bit more special."

Hikaru looked up from the ground, then looked back down in her direction curiously. She stared in an almost melancholic way at the graves ahead. His eyes then turned just as sad looking. It didn't take a genius to realize what she was doing and how beautiful it was as well. Just another reason for him to love her. At the same time, he realized what she was doing for him. When he saw her separate about half the flowers from the bouquet (which had their thorns removed) and hold them right in front of him while looking at him intently, he knew for sure: she wanted him to do the same for the would-have-been uncle.

"Here, and go ahead." Looking into her big, brown, sad orbs depressed him even further and made his heart sink even deeper. After swallowing hard and nodding to her, he hesitatingly took the flowers. "Whenever you're done, I'll meet you at that bench by the big tree in the middle of the cemetery. Take as much time as you need, Hikaru."

With those last solemn words, Haruhi began walking slowly over to where her mother was buried. Hikaru watched her take each step until she disappeared; it was a pretty big cemetery after all. Looking forward and swallowing again while fighting his tears back, he himself slowly began towards the graves. He scanned each name on each one as he was looking for his very specific one. He wasn't exactly happy to be here (not that it was really a happy place to be in at all), but Haruhi was right. If he loved his brother, he would do this, even if it killed him on the inside again.

The last time he was here, it was of course for the funeral. Just like the day Kaoru passed and the days before the funeral, everyone was concerned that Hikaru hadn't shed a single tear. Not even during the ceremony where everyone else did (even Kyoya a little), he still didn't. As dirt was being thrown onto the coffin in the ground and everyone was beginning to go home, he obviously stayed behind and watched. He even stayed behind when they were done and he was sure not a single other person was there. He just stared emotionlessly at the grave for a while that day, then he felt a hand on his shoulder. Haruhi's hand. He didn't even need to turn around to know it was her. When she told him that it was okay to be sad about Kaoru's death, his wall collapsed finally, as did he right into her arms, shedding more tears than ever in his life before. Haruhi, being compassionate and understanding, refused to let go until he pulled away, which wasn't for a long time, but she didn't mind in the least that day.

Today, six months later, he was back and looking at the same grave. Everything looked the same, and nothing besides the date and Hikaru's life had changed since. (Okay, that is way more than nothing in all honesty...) Hikaru stared down at the stone with his brother's name on it as he gripped the flowers more tightly. As he kneeled down to place the flowers on the grave, he held back his tears even harder. It was obviously getting harder to hold them back.

"Hey, Kaoru. It's me," he said quietly as he continued to kneel, his voice quivering. "Well, uh...I'm sure you can see everything that's gone on around here while you're up there in Heaven with...Haruhi's mom. Well, as you can imagine, things are getting kinda crazy lately actually."

Hikaru couldn't help but lightly laugh out of his own nervousness. This was hard for him. He wiped the sweat off his forehead as he continued.

"Oh geez, well, Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai have gone off to college, so the rest of us really miss them and all. Kyoya-sempai and Tono haven't changed that much and we're all still going on with the host club, so I guess much hasn't changed." He knew that if Kaoru was in front of his right now and did know everything, he'd be narrowing his eyes at him. "Well, um, okay, that was kind of a lie. Things...have changed actually...a lot more than expected..."

Hikaru felt like he was beginning to go crazy on the inside. He felt like he was just talking to no one, but he knew deep down that he really wasn't. His brother was up in Heaven listening and probably really appreciated Hikaru showing his love like this. It also felt good to Hikaru to be getting everything out to the one person who knows (_knew_) him the best.

"I'm sure that you're disappointed in me, and the decision I made to turn to alcohol and all...and especially because I ended up hurting our beloved Haruhi and all." That was it. Hikaru felt tiny, little tears begin to fall out, though he kept fighting it, but it made it harder to get any words out. "But you'll be happy to know that...I've quit and I'm, uh, over my addiction now. Wasn't easy, but I am...and, oh geez. Okay, and I've saved what I at least think is the best part for last. I mean, what I did to Haruhi was unforgiveable and...I can't show her my love enough, just like you wanted, but guess what, Kaoru? We're...having a baby together now! Isn't that great? You're gonna have a nephew or niece!"

For the first time since this conversation started, and even though the tears were still falling, Hikaru found himself somewhat smiling. He knew that Kaoru would be too. He'd be just as, if not even more, excited about all this, despite the circumstances. Hikaru knew that'd he'd be the best uncle ever, if only so.

"I'm just really sorry that you won't be able to meet him or her. Well, ironically, he or she wouldn't exist if you were here...kind of a win-lose situation, huh? But anyway, I've been working really hard and getting ready for our little akachan and I'm nearly ready now! I've already got the nursery done and got a great nanny so me and Haruhi can still go to Ouran and eventually college. She's even accepted the engagement ring I've given her! Everything's finally going good after so long, Kaoru. Sure, I'm still nervous as hell about akachan, but I know I can be a good dad, even if Haruhi doubts me. So yeah...everything's going good..."

At those last words, his smile disappeared.

"Yeah, but still, bro...I mean, I'm happy about all this, but...I miss you...I miss you so damn much, Kaoru...and I'm sorry for not looking out for those rocks and costing you your...life." Hikaru's breathing began to turn heavier as bigger tears started coming out. He swallowed really hard this time and was about to collapse, but his fists saved him from face-planting into the grave.

That was it. There was no more tear fighting.

"I miss you so much, Kaoru! And I love you so freaking much! I'm so sorry I never told you enough and that I took your patience for granted! I'm such a horrible brother! I'm cocky, arrogant, cruel, self-centered, and an overall asshole who should be the one in the ground right now, just for karma's sake! I never deserved you and you didn't deserved to die! I miss you and I want you back so much! Oh, Kaoru, just why..."

"Hikaru..." At the sound of his name, he stopped sobbing for a second and tried getting up slowly.

"Oh, Haruhi..." He didn't look around to see her own tear-stained face, but she obviously wasn't bawling nearly as much as himself.

"Let's go over to that bench now, is that fine with you? I hate seeing you this way..."

* * *

It was difficult to get Hikaru away from the grave, but Haruhi knew that he'd never leave, so after letting him mourn for a few more minutes, he finally followed her. Unfortunately, once they made it to the bench, he broke out into a sob again, but Haruhi took him right into her arms and he sobbed hard into her shoulder. Haruhi knew she really couldn't do much, but she comforted him best as she could as they sat their, embracing each other. Once again, something felt so right about it to her, but she was more focused on Hikaru at the moment.

"Oh, Haruhi, it's not fair! I miss him so much! What does God have against him? He was the best twin ever and now he's gone!"

"Hikaru, I'm so sorry. I know it's hard. I know I couldn't have had as close a relationship with my mom as you did with Kaoru, but I understand the feeling. I assure you, though, it'll get easier and time really does heal all wounds."

"No it doesn't! It hurts just as much now as it did at his funeral so many months ago! It's all hopeless now! It's just not right and this can't be healed no matter what!" Haruhi could feel his grip on her tighten, but she wouldn't dream of saying anything about that right now.

"Hikaru, it'll be okay, I swear it to you. Things will get better. You're surrounded by so many people who love you and it'll be fine. Better than fine, things will be so great for you in the future. I..." Haruhi suddenly gasped. Hikaru's sobbing began to slow down when he felt Haruhi's arms unwrap around him. "Oh my gosh..."

"Haruhi, what's going on?" Hikaru choked out as he wiped the tears from his eyes. They were puffy, but he could make out Haruhi looking down at her stomach in what looked like astonishment and her placing both of her hands onto it. He definitely now noticed how significantly bigger she had gotten in only two months. "Haruhi, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with akachan?" he asked concernedly, no longer choking on his tears.

"No, not at all, Hikaru," she said, her voice trembling almost. "I think...I think I just felt...I felt the...oh my gosh."

"What? What's going on then?" Hikaru was almost about to freak out, which wasn't really that unusual of him. He couldn't stop the tears, but at the moment he was far from sad. He was more concerned about whatever was happening.

"The baby's...moving. The baby's finally moving." Hikaru's eyes expanded in shock and amazement at her face. She looked almost happy-excited.

"Really? Oh my God..._really?_" Hikaru asked, his eyes practically popping out of his head. Haruhi just looked at him, giving him almost a small smile, and she carefully placed his own limp hand next to hers, not even caring if he was invading her personal space or not this time. He gasped himself the second she set his hand down. "Oh wow...I think I just felt a kick."

Haruhi looked at him also concernedly as tears formed in his eyes again and he didn't even try fighting them, but she knew they were purely of joy this time. He began crying _and _smiling at the same time.

"I know, I can't believe it either," Haruhi said as she felt her own tears begin to form when Hikaru suddenly leaned in to lightly kiss her on the cheek and embrace her again. She blushed, not having a clue what to make of it. She went ahead and returned the favor.

"Haruhi, I could never make up for what I did to you no matter what. Raping you was unimaginable and I'm so sorry for causing you all that pain. But while I wish I didn't cause you all that pain, I'll show you all the love I want to give you that I truly have for you. And even though it was completely unintentional on both of our parts thank you so much...for giving me this baby...I can't thank you enough for giving me another person to love so much...especially just when one has gone...I love you and our child so much and I'm sorry I don't deserve either of you."

Haruhi couldn't fight it anymore either. Not even when she was talking to her mom had she cried as hard as she began to now. She now had no clue how she was going to give her baby up now, when he or she has just about the most loving father alive.


	19. I Will Be

(A/N: Okay...first five days of school DONE! Eh...not HORRIBLE and I have no problems with any of my teachers so far thankfully, but hey, school's school and to me, it SUCKS. But anyways, enough about that, I feel HORRIBLE for taking forever to update! I miss being able to practically every other day! Well, okay, I honestly probably am physically ABLE to, but I feel really tired and lazy once I get home, so I'm so sorry! During school today, I began beating myself up for not updating in so long and swore to myself that I wasn't gonna keep you all waiting a whole week, so here ya guys go! I hope it doesn't suck too much and I hope you guys are cool with it being short-ish [it's another cute one that I didn't want to ruin by putting other parts into], but I'm hoping you guys will love the continuing HikaHaru-ness! I hope you guys don't have a problem with having two cute chapters in a row too! :D

Okay, I feel bad about going on and on about it, but I REALLY want your guys' opinions, so I'd REALLY love it if you guys could vote on my poll while it's still up!

I don't own _Juno_, just to let you guys know.)

* * *

"Hikaru, can you please just tell me where we're going already? And could you slow down just a little bit?" Haruhi asked irritably. She couldn't see a thing in front of her with the blindfold wrap tightly over her eyes as she felt Hikaru dragging her somewhere _quickly_ by the arm.

"No way, it's a surprise! And I swear you'll love it! And be careful, we're going up a staircase now," he warned her excitedly as he kept dragging her. She rolled her eyes behind the blindfold as she heard him laughing to himself cockily.

"Ugh, okay, I'll stop bugging you about it, but it better not have anything to do with you falling out of the ceiling or some strange place again or anything that might scare the crap out of me." Hikaru chuckled at the thought, but what he really was planning on showing her involved neither thing.

To Haruhi, it seemed like they were in each others' arms for hours after he embraced her (and _kissed_ her), but like hell was she going to break away from it. She knew how emotional that whole experience was going to be for both of them, but it was only the right thing for them to do for their deceased loved ones, especially for him considering it _was_ Kaoru they're talking about. The whole thing became even more memorable for them, and happily less heart-wrenching, when they both felt akachan kick for the first time. Haruhi could clearly see how quickly he went from completely broken to whole and hopeful all over again from just that one little kick, that little sign that only meant that akachan was- _is_ really there. It was, in a way, absolutely horrible in her eyes. Yes, she loved seeing him smile again, but how was she going to now tell him that she still doesn't think they're capable? Of course Hikaru was already loving towards him or her and maybe he was a recovered alcoholic that had _dramatically_ matured since his own brother's death and his recovery, but still, Hikaru was Hikaru. And sadly, Hikaru in a parent's position, at seventeen none the less, just didn't click in her mind.

Once he finally let her go, he had completely perked up by then and insisted that they get right back into the limo to go to wherever the place he was desperate to get over to was. Haruhi, still kind of taken aback that he was so excited that he cheered up so quickly, obediently followed, but was concerned when he begged her to let him blindfold her. She didn't exactly want to experience another (almost) labor-inducing surprise today...but alas, she gave into Hikaru's begging and insistence that she'd absolutely love it, whatever 'it' would be. Once they arrived at whatever the destination was, she felt herself being dragged quickly by him to wherever. She was trying her best to mentally prepare herself for _anything_ at this point, but she had a feeling he'd still surpass whatever she expected. Typical Hikaru for you...

"Alrighty, we're here!" he announced cheerfully, coming to a halt, which indicated to Haruhi that she should stop as well. "Now just stand here and don't move a muscle! I'll be right back. And PLEASE don't take off your blindfold until I say so!"

"Okay, fine," she said crossing her arms, somewhat aggravated. Before she could say anything else, she heard a door in front of her open and slam shut quickly.

She didn't expect him to even come back today, let alone want to spend the rest of the day with her, but again, like hell was she going to say no to it. Sure, she would've preferred studying for exams later that week, but she'd even admit that today had been pretty enjoyable with him, more than she ever expected...

_'It's so weird. I mean...I am kinda upset that I can't just go home right now when I really need to study for the exams this week, but still...today's been kinda enjoyable with Hikaru. Well, besides getting a heart attack after he fell out of the ceiling screaming, though I was happy to see him after getting over that shock. And being at the cemetery was pretty sad, obviously, but...just being with him now feels really nice.' _Haruhi smiled to herself at the thought as she stood there waiting, hearing some sort of crashing from whatever room he just went into. Suddenly, her smile faded. _'Ugh, what's going on with me? I mean, even though he and Kaoru were always annoying, I always liked being around them, so what's different this time that's making me enjoy Hikaru's company especially more now? This is just weird...okay seriously, what's he doing in there? Who's he talking to?'_

Haruhi's thoughts were interrupted when she could clearly here Hikaru talking excitedly (and quite loudly) about whatever from inside whatever room he had disappeared into. Whatever building he brought her into, she was sure that they were all alone and that's what he wanted, so what the hell?

"Okay, Haruhi! Right now, take off the blindfold and open up the door _directly_ in front of you! Your surprise is right behind it and I know you'll just love it! You can just drop the blindfold wherever!" she heard him yell from inside the room. She could sense his mix of joy and anxiousness through the wall separating them...seriously, he was pretty pumped about this.

"Sure thing," she replied in a normal tone, but it seemed pretty unenthusiastic compared to his.

She sighed as she used her hands to undo the knot he made in the blindfold. She was somewhat surprised to see she was on the second floor of what looked like a house. A completely _normal_ house any middle class family would live in. She turned her head several ways to take it all in. She furrowed her eyebrows. No way could she think of any reason he'd bring her here for. She just shrugged and, being her, neatly folded the blindfold one time and hung it over the railing of the staircase. After doing so, she turned back towards the pretty normal-looking door she was sure she was standing in front of and took a deep breath. Only God knew what could've been waiting beyond it.

_'Okay, just go in already, it's probably no biggie. Probably something that he just built up in his mind that he's positive is especially great. I still have no clue where we could be though...'_ "I'm coming in now, Hikaru!"

With that thought in mind and after calling back to him, she carefully placed her hand on the handle and slowly turned it, opening the door all the way. The second she opened it all the way and registered in her mind exactly what she was looking at inside the room, she froze. Her eyes widened and she gasped. She covered her mouth with both hands in an instant in her shock at what she was seeing. She didn't even notice Hikaru standing maybe one or two feet away from her, smiling very widely and almost conceitedly at her reaction with a video camera in hand (and recording). He was very pleased with her reaction at his hard work.

"Oh, Hikaru..." she said quietly as she was still taking it all in. Not that it was new or anything, but the tears began coming slowly, but they were certainly of joy this time.

Haruhi stared in awe at the room she was sure Hikaru was planning to be the baby's nursery. It was by no stretch small in the least, probably the size of a master bedroom. It would be obvious to anyone that only the son of a famous designer or kid of any sort of rich parent would have enough to furnish a room so nicely. Haruhi remembered the list Kyoya showed her and what she was sure Hikaru was planning for it, but it looked so much more amazing in real life than in her head. At the moment, she didn't even think about the fact that she didn't approve any of this at all. It was all just so amazing to her.

The walls and curtains were a nice bright orange and the white carpeting and every single piece of furniture complemented them; included were the crib, changing table, bassinet, shelves, dresser, and of course, a single rocking chair in the corner of the room, all of which were white with hints of orange and green leaf designs plastering them. A jungle theme was definitely going on, and looked neutral enough for either sex. One of the shelves was lined with a few kawaii stuffed animals and the crib, changing table, and bassinet had nice orange padding. The crib also had a cute animal mobile over it and there was a small stereo sitting nicely on the dresser. Haruhi couldn't even imagine it looking more perfect than it was right in front of her.

"There she is, akachan! There's your mommy, already five months pregnant with you! Isn't she beautiful? I only wish I could've started doing this sooner, but not to much happened before now anyway. But look how surprised she looks! I just knew she'd love this!"

Haruhi snapped out of her state of awe when she noticed Hikaru sneaking closer to her with camera in his hands, obviously trying to film her. She dropped her hands from her mouth and rose an eyebrow curiously at him as he tried getting as close as possible, snickering in obvious amusement.

"Uh, Hikaru, what're you doing? And why are you talking in such a baby-ish sounding voice?" she asked as she tried inching away as he began invading her personal space.

"What's it look like? I'm filming all this for our future son or daughter to watch when he or she is older so he or she can see videos of him or herself as a baby and how much we love him or her and all the time that went into getting ready!" Hikaru said, still smiling conceitedly, thinking that this was probably a very good idea. Haruhi was amazed that he wasn't sick of going 'he or she' all the time already.

"Well, if you really want to, go ahead, but please keep that at least a yard away from my face," she said irritably, pushing it out of her face. It was obviously impossible for him to contain his happiness as he taped her walking around the room, the awe returning in her facial expression. "But this is amazing, Hikaru! This nursery looks wonderful and it's just absolutely perfect. I'm impressed with all the work you put into it," she said as she walked over to the crib, admiring it.

"Well, I don't wanna brag or anything, but I thought I came up with quite a genius idea, huh? But I'll admit that Tono and the others helped out with picking up the stuff for me once I saw it online and they brought it all over so some guys could set it up, but I was actually watching from a webcam to make sure they wouldn't mess up anything. And I already have our baby's entire wardrobe made and put away into the closet, and there are more than enough cute little outfits for a boy or girl! Isn't it so wonderful? This whole room is just so cute! Ah, I want you here _now_, akachan! You're just gonna be too kawaii!"

"Hikaru, settle down already. You don't want akachan to be four months premature and end up dying, do you?" Haruhi asked, narrowing her eyes at him as she picked up a cute stuffed (and non-confetti blasting) elephant and smiled down at it. Hikaru felt his heart sink at that comment.

"**NO!** I'm sorry, akachan! Nevermind! Don't come out now, you here me? I promise to be patient if it means you'll be perfectly healthy! Stay in I say, stay **in!**" he freaked out suddenly as he pointed the camera to his face, screaming at the thing and not taking into account that he looked stupid doing so. He failed to notice Haruhi's face that was mixed with looks of 'Settle down already, you're scaring me more than usual!' and 'You're just so stupid, you know that, baka?'

"Hikaru, you realize you're screaming into a camera lens, right? He or she can't hear you from over there, you know. And calm down, I was kidding." Haruhi sighed when she saw him getting over his little moment and begin to breathe heavily as he looked about ready to collapse. _'Oh man...I'm especially scared _now_ to see his reaction when I actually give birth...eh, I don't wanna envision it now...'_ Haruhi shivered at the thought of how badly he'd freak out when _that_ happens. "But, uh, now that I think about it, where are we anyway? I'm almost positive this isn't actually your place. Way too small..."

"Oh yeah, I totally forgot to tell you! Uh, if you're not busy for the rest of today, uh...do you wanna just...chill here? Just you and me? The fridge is stocked and I have DVDs. Please say yes!" Hikaru said nervous-excitedly as he inched closer to her, shutting off the camera and placing it on the dresser.

At the question, Haruhi felt the elephant slip right out of her hands, but that apparently didn't phase Hikaru. She felt her cheeks turning red in an instant as he stood behind her, waiting patiently for her to answer, or show any sign of life for that matter.

_'Haruhi, you need to study! He can tell you everything on Monday! You've messed around enough today, and he's the last person you need to be "fooling around with" anyway! You know he'll understand, especially if he really loves you like he says!'_

_'What the hell is wrong with you? You love spending time with him, dammit! You can slack off _just _this once, can't you? You're teachers are already so proud of you for handling this all so well, they'll understand if you get one B for once!'_

When Haruhi slowly turned around to face him, not being able to get her blushing to stop, she could clearly see how ecstatic he still was.

"Okay, maybe for a little bit, and...do you perhaps...have any ootoro?" His grin went from ear to ear now.

* * *

Once Haruhi agreed to hanging for a little bit, 'a little bit' turned into _many _hours of just hanging around, eating and watching stuff. Needless to say that Hikaru was having a blast and didn't hesitate to remind her every couple minutes. It would be ridiculous and borderline desperate to anyone else (including Haruhi) that he was taking pictures just of them hanging around, but he didn't give a damn and treasured _every_ moment they had together. Plus, he knew 'Tono' would get quite a kick out of all those pictures, especially the ones of him feeding her ootoro (which she was against, but wanted to hear the movie over his whining, so she allowed him to eventually).

Hikaru gave Haruhi a tour of the entire house. It was just what she thought it was initially: a completely normal, fully furnished, three-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-story house any regular middle class family would live in. He told her how the house they were hanging in was one his parents bought for him and Kaoru a while ago because it was near their dream design college and it would've been good for both of them to live in. Obviously, the part with Kaoru living there was kind of out the window now, but Yuzuha and Mr. Hitachiin decided that it was perfect for him and Haruhi now that they were apparently getting married. And just when Haruhi couldn't have been more touched (and feeling more guilty).

"Oh, I see now. That's why you wanted the nursery to be orange?" Haruhi asked.

By eleven that night, they were lying on the couch in the living room with the lights out and a blanket over them while they were eating more ootoro and watching the end of _Juno_ on HBO (which was ironically fitting considering their situation). She didn't even realize at the moment how close they were sitting next to each other, how he had his arms wrapped around her waist and was holding her so closely, their heads resting against each other snuggly, the _whole_ package. Hikaru, after all the recent tears, was finally able to enjoy being so close to her, happily thinking about how it would become a normal occurrance eventually. Haruhi could not have been farther from regretting her decision to stay. She had to admit that for what Hikaru wanted to consider their 'third date', it was very nice and not totally outlandish and crazy like usual club-related things. The poor girl still couldn't put her finger on it, why she was loving all this so much...the poor, naive Haruhi. Even _Hikaru_ of all people knows exactly what this feeling is! Seriously, that says something about Haruhi's naivete...

"Yeah, we already had our rooms painted and all and of course, he naturally chose his fave color. I figured that'd be the best place for the nursery, especially since my room next door, which is also the size of a master bedroom, will be where we'll be sleeping."

Haruhi slightly twitched at the thought of them sleeping together again, especially considering...yet she also couldn't help but slightly smile at the thought of sleeping in his protective, sober arms. (She prayed that they would always be sober from now on.) Yet somehow, she still couldn't bring herself to mention that she wasn't ever planning on sleeping with him ever again, even though that's what she still believed.

"There's a master bathroom right in between the rooms too, so we don't even have to run out of our room if he or she's crying. We can easily just room through the bathroom and we're there like that! Damn, I remember the day before I left for Karuizawa...I had come here just to check this place out to make sure it would be okay, and then when I looked in that room...Kaoru and I had come here before when Mom and Dad first bought the house and we were totally pumped to just move out and get our own place. We looked in our rooms and knew whose would be whose right away. It's all just so insane now...not once did I think I'd _ever_ even _want_ to share my room with any girl before..."

Hikaru was past oblivious about how obnoxious that sounded, but Haruhi knew that was just him being Hikaru.

"...and I definitely never thought that I'd end up turning Kaoru's room into my own kid's nursery...at sixteen even, but I just love how everything's so perfect now!" Haruhi's heart fell like a concrete block at that statement and at him pulling at her even more tightly.

_'Man, I can't believe all this either. I mean, he's far from being that obnoxious little incestous rich kid anymore. It's amazing to me how much he's matured. I mean, I guess having your twin die, recovering from an alcohol addiction, and having a baby all as a teenager naturally does that to you, but...wow...I definitely love this Hikaru better, even if he's still kinda cocky and trouble-making towards Tamaki-sempai...'_

She was completely unaware of the fact that she just used the word 'love' in that context.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, I guess," she said quietly as she saw Hikaru grab the remote and turn off the TV, but her smile disappeared and she looked at him curiously when she saw that he looked kind of pissed. "Is something wrong, Hikaru? Um, I thought you were just sayin how perfect everything is now." Hikaru didn't even look at her. She could see that he was just staring coldly at the TV screen.

"That was just unbelievable," he said bitterly, which surprised Haruhi a lot. She wasn't going to say thanks now, but that weird urban music was kind of getting annoying to her.

"You mean the movie? Well, I guess those people were kind of weird and unusual and everything in general, but it was still pretty funny and even touching at some points."

"I mean that moronic girl and her chicken-legged 'boyfriend'. I mean, what the hell is wrong with them?" he asked coldly and kind of quietly as he continued glaring at the TV. Haruhi just looked up at him worriedly. "They didn't hesitate for a second to give their poor son up to that neat-freak psycho completely without even wanting to see him again, and the fact that she was almost ready to just kill him in the beginning if it weren't for that weird Chinese girl. And when she said that they could pretend none of that ever even happened! I mean what the hell? That was there own son! How heartless are they? And at the end when they didn't even want to see or hold him after he was born! How disgusting...I know I'll be much better than both of them. We'll actually love our child after he or she's born. I know I will be a good otou-san, and you'll be an even better oka-san. Seriously, Haruhi, I'm so glad that you decided to marry me and let us keep akachan. I can't say it enough, I love him or her so much already and I know he or she is perfect."

Haruhi looked back up to see his smile quickly come back and she felt his hands lightly touch her stomach, where they both now easily and frequently felt continuous kicking. She wanted to, but she told herself that she was _not_ crying in front of him again, because there was no way that after today, she would be able to tell him straight up that she _never_ said anything about giving up on adoption or that she didn't want them to really be engaged.

_'God, Hikaru, you're _killing _me here. Why do you have to be so loving underneath your cruel, heartless, self-centered, everyone-else-besides-me-Kaoru-and-Haruhi-is-an-idiot exterior?'_

_'Stop it, Haruhi! You love this side of him! Embrace it and stop having second thoughts! You guys will be such a cute family together! Forget adoption and not marrying him! Everything'll be better this way!'_

_"You stop it! I want to believe that, but I just can't bring myself to completely, but I do wish so...'_

Hikaru didn't even see the two tears that managed to escape from her eyelids. Haruhi, though in such a nice, relaxing position in his arms, couldn't help but feel so stressed and so down now.


	20. Too Much to Ask

(A/N: Man, I can't believe how lazy I've become! But don't worry, at least this one didn't take as long as the other [though only by one day], and I'm BEYOND happy that so many of you are reading this, so thanks so much! [I can't resist glancing over at my little hit counter occasionally...or a lot, but I LOVE what I see! But I am a bit confused at the fact that some chapters have WAY more hits and overall visitors than ones before them...] So anyway...a couple interesting little things I wanna share: I am almost completely sure on what I want the baby's gender and name to be now, but I'm sorry to say I will NOT be giving it away naturally, so sorry! Also, I didn't think it'd be possible, but I now definitely know a way to make this story go on even longer than I intended [in a very interesting way with an unexpected plot twist], so that will hopefully be good news to most of you! If I don't include my new plans in this fic, I'll definitely do a sequel either way, but I'm trying not to think about that right now, trying more to focus on this chappie, so enjoy!

I apologize in advance for the cliffhanger, which you guys have to admit I don't put in THAT frequently at least. ;D)

* * *

"Haruhi dear! Where on earth were you all this time? I've been worried sick, not having any idea what you could've been doing out past midnight! You could've gotten raped again! Oh, I'd just die if I allowed my poor little girl to be harassed like that again! I'd _never _be able to live with myself!" Ranka cried as he squeezed the life out of Haruhi, who just rolled her eyes, annoyed at her dad's continued overprotective nature. Though considering all that has happened, she couldn't completely blame him.

"Dad, please let go before I suffocate and your grandchild and I both die from lack of oxygen." Ranka whimpered as he reluctantly let go. His own sad Tamaki-like, puppy-dog look came upon his face as he retreated back to the couch. "I'm fine, I was just doing some stuff with the host club as usual and then was at a scheduled appointment where I got new ultrasound pictures, but then Hikaru...dropped in...unexpectedly. After the appointment, I just talked to him about what we might do and we hung out for a while. Nothing to worry about," she explained as she went into the nearby kitchen to get water.

"Oh, that boy...he's lucky I didn't strangle him to death after everything he's done! I will have no mercy on him the next time he hurts a single strand of hair on your head!" Ranka snarled, crushing the beer can in his hand. Haruhi slightly trembled as she saw some of the contents spray right out of it.

"Dad, please calm down. He's completely sober now, so don't worry," Haruhi assured him as she quietly took a seat next to him.

"I guess, but I'm always going to _dread _the image of you to alone for as long as I live," he scoffed as he downed whatever was left in his can. Haruhi just moaned inaudibly. "I'm always going to have the image of him assaulting you in my head forever as well."

"Dad, please, we didn't anything! You're impossible, you know that? We had a great time tonight, just hanging out with each other...it was kind of nice to tell you the truth...I don't really know how to explain it though, those feelings of comfort and...bliss, I guess, I felt around him..." At those words, Ranka's eyes turned away from the TV to Haruhi as she meekly sipped her water. The expression shown in them turned from enraged to curious. "It's weird, I was just enjoying it so much, yet I felt almost nervous around him at the same time, especially when he embraces me...and at one point when he kissed me on the cheek...oh man, what's wrong with me, Dad? I don't need this kind of stress on me right now. I have so much on my plate already and it's just so...I don't even know, just a lot, you know what I mean? Wait, of course you don't, because it's all too weird. _I'm_ acting weird, and I'm pretty sure it's not just the hormones..." A sorrowful look then came upon her face as she tried to figure it out, but no answers would come to her mind for once, and she definitely didn't like it.

At the words 'embrace' and 'kiss', most would have expected Ranka to blow up and be on the immediate hunt for Hikaru's head, but instead, his eyes just expanded and he froze, somewhat in surprise, but also in realization as to what was going on now and what was 'wrong' with her. He knew that this day would come eventually and that he'd officially have to let go for good, but he didn't expect or wish that it'd come so soon. Then again, he didn't expect or wish for his daughter to be having children this soon either, though that wish was out the window now. While everyone knew what a smart girl she was and how she naturally 'just knew things', including people's feelings for each other, she was nearly beyond help when it came to her own and others' for her, unless they just right out said it, like Hikaru did already. What a shame it was, really. It's a mystery how long she might have had them, but they were clearly there, and they were only becoming stronger with each passing day she spent with him. Why wouldn't they? In his own realization and maturation with all that's been going on, all Hikaru does anymore is show her his own love. What more could she, or even Ranka at this point, want from a guy?

In his realization of Haruhi's newfound feelings, Ranka, believe it or not, smiled as she continued looking down sadly into her cup.

"You know, Haruhi, I get exactly what you're saying...and what you're feeling. Believe me when I say that there's nothing wrong with you." Haruhi went 'Huh?' and gave him a really confused look, but he just lightly laughed. "This might sound kind of startling to you, but...that's actually how I felt around your mother, and I'm sure that feeling was mutual between the two of us. We both loved and cared for each other so much. We both felt so comforted and protected in each others' arms, and I do miss her so much, which is why I find myself unable to love another woman ever again. Unfortunately, I can't really help you out with this, honey. This is something you need to come to terms with on your own, though I did just give you a little hint." Haruhi rose an eyebrow as Ranka winked at her before pulling her in for a quick hug. He then got up and left the confused girl sitting there as he headed to his room. "Goodnight, Haruhi."

Haruhi's brow furrowed at the comparison of her relationship with Hikaru to that of her parents. She just heavily exhaled as she finished her water and went to her own room to get ready for bed. Once she climbed into her bed, she couldn't get the day's events and her dad's words out of her head. Thankfully, it was Sunday tomorrow and she didn't have anything to really get up for, but she hated it when she couldn't get enough sleep, though she (nor anyone else on the planet for that matter) wasn't as bad as Kyoya, but still.

_'What could Dad have meant? I mean, him feeling for Mom the way I do for Hikaru? That's just weird...and it doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, what could that mean? Ugh, this really is too much...'_

* * *

_A certain twenty-two-year-old Haruhi couldn't have felt more pumped than she did at that very moment. All her hard work had paid off and she was so proud of herself for winning that mock trial. She figured she'd celebrate later, but she knew to had to get home asap first after a long day at Ouran U._

_"That was a job well-done, Haruhi. I'll be seeing you tomorrow," her professor said smiling just as the class had ended that day. Haruhi got all her things together and was heading out as well._

_"Thank you very much, sir. I'll be seeing you too," she said cheerfully as she was heading out of the building and to the parking lot to get into her car to drive home._

_Over the years, she had definitely grown in more ways than one. Her breasts and other curves finally developed and she definitely wouldn't have been able to pose as a boy anymore if she wanted to. The suit she was wearing definitely showed them off. She had also grown her hair back out like when she was in middle school, but her bangs were like how they were when she first had her hair chopped off instead of having them cut straight across. It was not unusual that guys shot her glances quite frequently, but she'd just brushed them off._

_She was so incredibly thankful every single day for how her life had played out since her Ouran High School days. She was free of anymore debts from Kyoya for good, she graduated at the top of her class, she got a full ride to the university in pre-law, her fourth and final year was almost over, and she had already received quite a few job offers. She had also stayed in touch with the rest of the host club over the years and she couldn't have wished for things to be better than they already were._

_She smiled even more brightly once she drove into the driveway of her house. It was a pretty nice house and not at all far from her university, so she was able to get back home before it was even 3:30 on weekdays. What awaited her on the other side of the door that led from the garage to inside the house was no different than usual, but it still surprised her every time anyway._

_The second she opened the door, the same little brown-haired (with it in high pigtails today), amber-eyed, fuku-clad, five-year-old girl lunged into her arms happily._

_"Mommy, you're home! I missed you so, so, so, so much all day!" the little girl said cheerfully as she hugged her mom tightly. Haruhi felt her heart melt as her daughter smiled up at her giggling and hugged her back._

_"Aw, Hiromi honey, I missed you so much too," Haruhi said smiling down at her as well. She held onto the little girl tightly as she carried her over to the kitchen, where she set her down onto a stool at the counter. "Did anything exciting happen in Kindergarten today?" she asked as she got out cookies for them to eat, which Hiromi went after immediately._

_"Sensei said I'm really smart for my age and am doing really well, but that I'm also a little devil. Mommy, is that a bad thing?" Hiromi asked as she chewed the cookie she snatched from the plate. Haruhi couldn't help but laugh, trying not to choke on the one she just took a bite out of._

_"Yes, honey, that's not exactly something you want other people to think of you as. Did you do something naughty to anyone today?" Haruhi smiled at her knowingly as her daughter looked down in shame._

_"I guess...because today, I found this baby froggie outside and put it in her coffee. It was funny seeing sensei freak out when it jumped onto her face, but I don't know how the heck she found out it was me though!" The little girl pouted in defeat._

_"Well dear, it's not a good thing to do naughty stuff like that. Can you promise me you won't do that kind of stuff from now on?" Haruhi asked firmly, but giving her a pleading look. Hiromi quit pouting and looked up at her Mommy sadly._

_"Okay, okaa-san, I won't do naughty things to people anymore," she said sadly as she grabbed another cookie and ate it quickly. "Oh yeah, don't forget to save some for Daddy! He was able to pick me up today so Anne-Sophie-san could get the rest of today off! He just went upstairs to get changed!"_

_"Oh, you're so sweet, Hiromi! Daddy will appreciate that so much! I'll go see how he's doing, okay?" Haruhi said as she went back to the other side to give her a kiss on the cheek before going upstairs, which made Hiromi giggle more._

_It was unusual to Haruhi that her husband was home so early that he was even able to pick their daughter up today, but that was good news to both of them. Haruhi hadn't gotten too much alone time with him recently since they were both graduating soon, so right now was a very lovely opportunity for both of them. She excitedly went up the staircase and went straight to the master bedroom door and pressed her ear against it. She chuckled to herself as she heard him moaning as he undressed, then knocked, which made the moaning stop._

_"Who is it?" a certain (slightly more mature) male voice said from the other side._

_"Guess who," Haruhi said almost seductively as she leaned against the door. She heard him beginning to chuckle at the sound of her voice._

_"Why bother? You're welcome in any time," he said back, _definitely _in a seductive manner. Haruhi couldn't stand how stupid they both sounded right now, but she didn't really care anymore. _

_She carefully began opening the door and was surprised to it was practically pitch-black with the exceptions of the little bit of light that spilled in from the window and from the open door. She could vaguely make out the furniture in the ridiculously large (to her) room and a certain man who was lying on his side on their large, kind-sized bed in what she considered a very sexy position. It was even more appealing to her that he was shirtless. She almost burst out laughing at how absurd this all was, and he couldn't help but grin mischievously at the look on her face._

_"Don't you have any clue how dumb you look right now?" she asked as she put her bag and jacket carefully onto what she was sure was the dresser. _

_"Hey, you look quite entertained right now, so does it really matter?" he asked, trying not to cackle himself as she climbed onto the bed, right into his arms. He welcomed her right in by wrapping them tightly and protectively around her._

_"Hmm, I guess not. Neither Hiromi or anyone else can see us like this right now anyway," she said as he began kissing her neck._

_"Either way, I can't say that I really care all that much, but I wouldn't worry. Our daughter's a smart girl, so she'll know not to come up right now. I just love you so much, Haruhi, and don't you ever forget that," he said sincerely as she turned her head so their faces would face each other. They both seized the opportunity to kiss, something Hikaru was so desperate to have happen when he was younger, now it was a regular thing, and he as well couldn't have been more grateful for how things turned out for the both of them._

_After they paused for a second, Haruhi looked deeply into his gorgeous amber orbs and saw him smiling down on her lovingly, and they went for another kiss from each other. Before that, Haruhi whispered to him almost inaudibly, "I love you too, Hikaru..."_

* * *

"Ow!" Haruhi shot up quickly in her bed as she felt a very quick but sharp pain shoot up somewhere in her body. "What was that...?" she groggily asked herself as she breathed in and out deeply, taking in her surroundings. She was kind of peeved to see that it was merely 2:32 at night, now she wasn't sure if she'd be able to fall back now.

She was sleeping well into the night and was enjoying that dream she was having. After she turned on her lamp on her nightstand nearby, she could clearly see that is was _only _a dream and was sure that she was not twenty-two, in college, living in that house Hikaru showed her earlier the previous day, or married to him with a five-year-old daughter. Her thoughts were confirmed when she looked down and saw that she was indeed still pregnant. When she felt the same pain flare up again all of a sudden, she tried soothing her abdomen softly with her hand, now realizing that the pain was coming from her unborn child's continuous kicking.

"I do love you very much and your Daddy and I were both very excited to feel you move for the first time, but _please_ don't let this really hard kicking in the middle of the night become a regular occurrence. Mommy really needs her sleep and so do you, okay? You're going to be just as big of a handful as Daddy and your uncles are, aren't you?"

Haruhi knew that it was as if she was talking to no one, but she felt the illusion as if her child was really there. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of him or her being just like the one in the dream she just had. She wouldn't care if her daughter would be a supposed devil or not or even if she was smart or not, she'd love her just the same. Haruhi also knew that she'd love Hikaru as her husband whether he could pull off corny sexual positions or not, they loved each other sincerely and that would be enough.

At those thoughts, her smile quickly disappeared and she stiffened when the realization of what she was feeling around Hikaru hit her..._hard_. And it hit _way_ harder than the kicks she was just feeling now were.

_'Oh no...it can't be that...' _she thought as she began breathing heavily again and her eyes began to water at the thought of what she could have been (and what she currently _is_) feeling towards Hikaru. _'Please, not now, even if I am having his child...just...no! I don't need this right now! I shouldn't be focusing on that kind of thing when I have more important things to be worrying about!' _

Haruhi's tears slowly escaped and began rolling down her face as she held her head in distress. She was finally starting to figure it out, but she didn't want to accept what was happening when, as she was thinking, she had other things that she had to be thinking about that were far more important right now.

After a moment, she pulled herself together (kind of) and tip-toed out of her room and to her mom's shrine. She carefully lit the candles next to it and looked at the beautiful picture of her mother as she kneeled in front of the shrine, which only made more tears spill out. She really didn't want to wake up Ranka, but right now, she really felt that she needed to talk to her mother, and who better to talk to about this sort of thing anyway?

"Hi Mom," she tried choking out quietly, but her heart felt so heavy at the moment that she really couldn't care that much about how loud she was. "Um, I know I was just talking to you earlier today, but...I feel like I really need help right now...I'm just so confused." Haruhi looked down at her knees as she tried wiping her tears away with one of the sleeves of her PJs. "I have no clue what I should do now. After the dream I just had, I..."

Haruhi shook almost uncontrollably as she allowed the rest of her tears to just fall. Ranka, who creeked his door slightly open, watched from afar. How badly he wanted to hold and comfort his daughter, but this was something he knew he couldn't interfere with. This was a mother-daughter talk, no doubt, even if the mother wasn't physically there. It would've been wrong for him to interrupt no matter what.

"No matter what, I don't want to give up my child! I really don't, but I just don't know what would be best for him or her anymore! Hikaru...you remember? I told you about him a while ago. He's one of my best friends, and I told you earlier today about how he's the father...he's just done so much and he tells me all the time how much he loves both of us and...and if what just happened in my dream might end up coming true, then...I guess everything will turn out okay...no, not just okay, great even! Everything would be great for all of us, but it was just a dream. There's a chance that all those things could really happen, but still, they might not, and...is it even possible that, after what he did to me, that I could possibly be...in love with him?"

Ranka's heart broke as he saw his daughter collapse completely and allow all her walls to shatter right then and there. She finally figured it out, but she didn't want to believe it.

"I shouldn't even be thinking about myself right now! My child's my number one priority right now, not my own personal love life! It's all happening too fast! And I know he said already that he loves me no matter what, but...how can I be sure I won't lose him?"

That night, Haruhi slept in the living room in front of the shrine. Once he was sure she was asleep, Ranka creeped out of his room to blow out the candles and put a blanket over her. He kissed her on the forehead as he frowned down at her, scared for her and her future, but also much more hopeful than she was feeling after that night. His father's instinct was telling him that she'd figure it all out eventually, and he wanted to make sure she'd figure that fact out soon as well.

* * *

"Mmm! This triple chocolatey cake is so tasty! Want some, Takashi?" Honey asked cheerfully as he pigged out at his usual table while the club room was vacant of clients at the moment.

"No thanks. I'll wait 'til the movie starts," Mori replied stoically as he just stood nearby as usual. He looked around the room, seeing Kyoya talking to Nekozawa and the rest of the Black Magic Club about something involving their finished-up movie and Tamaki sitting by the window, starting out of it thoughtfully.

It was now the Monday after the weekend Hikaru returned, which was also the same weekend they wrapped up the shooting and post-production of their little movie. Today, not only would it be Hikaru first day hosting since Kaoru's death, but it would also be the big premiere of a sneak peek of their new movie, which was already guaranteed to sell out with or without this big premiere. Kyoya decided to go with it anyway, since such an event would bring in extra customers that day. Nekozawa and his club were helping out with darkening the room as much as possible so that everyone could get a real feel as if they were in a theater, which they were more than happy to do. Once that was done, they would be almost ready to let girls in, with the HD wide-screen and DVD player already set up along with 'commoner' popcorn and soda concession stands up as well; all they needed now were the last two remaining hosts.

Suffice to say that Tamaki, though starting to cope with his nearly broken heart, wasn't exactly eager to see either Haruhi or Hikaru today.

"Tamaki," Kyoya said softly as he approached the king, who was still staring out at nothing in particular. Kyoya noticed the nearly lifeless look on his face. "Do you think you'll be okay? I know that you don't think it's _really _the Ouran Host Club without it's king, but I don't think it'd be a big deal if you want to leave if you really don't want to stick around. They are both coming today for sure, they're just kind of late." Tamaki merely breathed in response. "Tamaki, please, girls won't enjoy being around a bitter prince type, you know." Kyoya intentionally added the irritation to his voice. He cared about his friend, but he wouldn't be able to help if said friend wouldn't allow him to.

"No, don't worry about me, Kyoya. I'll be okay. I want to see Haruhi and Hikaru today anyway." Tamaki didn't turn around at all, but Kyoya was happy to hear him finally respond. Happy with what he got, he turned around and went back to talking with Nekozawa as the windows were being covered securely by the rest of his club.

"Hi guys, sorry I'm late," Haruhi called as she slammed the door open and shut it back closed so no girls could sneak in unexpectedly. No girls at all sneaked in...

Everyone stopped and looked over at the front of the room where she was panting in exhaustion, but then they all quickly went back to whatever quickly, including Tamaki. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to continue staring out the window for long since one of Nekozawa's underlings concealed the window right away, which slightly pissed him off.

"Hey, Tamaki-sempai." Tamaki jumped out of his skin and (literally) out of the chair when he noticed Haruhi standing right beside him, looking completely innocent and unaware of what was going on in his head. "Um, is something wrong? You seem a little out of it today."

Oh, was he. He held back his tears as he looked down at her, a curious, naive look upon her face. He swallowed hard and began shaking, fighting back the blush coming across his own face. This was the first time he had seen the girl he loves since realizing his feelings. While he yearned to just pick her up and run away so badly, he knew how right his mother was, and he refused to act any less than what she expected from him.

"Uh...uh...no, Haruhi! Daddy's totally fine today! Totally ecstatic to see today's movie! He only wishes you could've been a part of it, but I know it was still fantabulous and that it'll bring eternal joy to all!" he replied as he flailed his arms about, trying to sound pumped and not nervous and uncomfortable as hell being around her. Haruhi still had no clue. It was a mystery if she ever would.

"Oh, okay, sempai! That's good to know! Is there anything I can do to-"

"Haruhi," he said seriously, grabbing both of her hands and looking her straight in the eyes, not concealing how serious he suddenly became that very moment. This action threw off Haruhi and all the other hosts in the room. She still had no clue, but the other three froze and began sweating nervously, having a good idea as to what the king was going to do. "Listen, I have something I need to tell you that's super important, but not in front of everyone else, so..." He trembled even more, unable to finish his sentence.

"Okay, sure, sempai. We can go into the dressing rooms and talk there," she said casually, taking one of her hands out of his to point towards the dressing rooms.

"Okay, that's great! Let's go then, quickly! Before the girls arrive!" he exclaimed, the nervousness becoming apparent even to Haruhi, but she didn't think about it as he dragged her quickly to them where they were soon out of sight.

"Uh oh." Mori uttered the words that Kyoya and Honey were also thinking as they saw them disappear.

What not one of those three saw was 'something' that snook into the club room (that wasn't a girl) follow Tamaki and Haruhi into the dressing rooms. Said 'something' happened to be a very tiny robotic spider with a recording device attached to it...


	21. The Best Damn Thing

(A/N: Believe me when I say I feel horrible about not updating practically every other day anymore! Not loving school at all, so don't worry, we all have pretty mutual feelings about this updating/time-related issue. Unfortunately, it's gotten harder to write just in general because whenever I do write, in the back of my mind, I'm always guilty over the fact that I def have something else I need to do. [Believe me, Apush is NO picnic...] But anyway, this was an especially harder one to write because I had SO many different ways I could've done this. In the end, I, well, picked this way obviously. I'm sure that a lot of you won't expect pretty much anything that will happen in this chapter, so it should be fun...hopefully, I really don't know, it's to each his own. I just hope you guys like it, though I felt I might have rushed the end a little bit and it isn't the best-written, which I'm sorry for too, but I really tried!

Also, as I re-read some of the chapters, I'm not happy with some of them. Like I said in the summary, I might be making some VERY minor changes in some chapters, but if they're a bit more than VERY minor, I'll let you guys know specifically which ones if you're interested.)

* * *

People are always taken aback about things in their lives, little or big, that make them ponder about what's up with the world and the people in it. Obviously, many unusual things have confused Hikaru throughout his life: what was with his mother dressing him and his late brother like little girls? What the hell was with that old nanny of his being so sadistic and then suddenly coming back? (Well, he did actually get the answer to that one.) What is it about Haruhi specifically that make him love her so much? Why is Tono so weird? Most importantly probably to him, what did Kaoru ever do to deserve to die? And the rest is just blah blah blah. Some he'd find out the answers to; some he wouldn't bother messing with for too long because he'd get bored; some he desperately wanted to know and wanted to find the answers to no matter what, but it'd be hard.

One particular thing he desperately wanted to know involved none other than his beloved, whom he still believes doesn't return his love (though he has _no _idea otherwise). The Sunday after he returned, he had called her asking her if she would go with him to some ridiculously strenuous yoga class (which he thought would be so hysterical, yet good for her at the same time, therefore two birds would get killed right there and then), but he was surprised to hear her voice shaking so much the second she picked up. He wasn't surprised when she told him "No way in hell!", but she sounded far more nervous than just bluntly indifferent to his suggestion. Then once she gave him her answer, she immediately told him she had to go and would just see him at school the next day without another word. Suffice to say that he was saddened by her answer; he was even more upset that he had no one to whine about it to since everyone else was apparently busy with whatever. With that plan out the window, he called in a couple of trucks (which he could easily afford to do) to help move his own stuff into his new house, still under the assumption that his own plan was what's going to happen and that Haruhi would start living with him. He especially just loved the thought of not being under anyone else's nose or restrictions anymore. (Again, there's something wrong with his parents, it seems...)

The next day, being Monday and his first day back in school for the term, girls were quite enthusiastic to see him again after so long and were especially psyched about him going back to the club (and even without Kaoru, he was able to make them all squeal and faint). But he, on the other hand, was _way _more concerned with seeing Haruhi. It was mostly out of concern and wanting to see his beloved, but a little bit out of his desire to see how kawaii she could've possibly looked in her (waistline-modified) girls uniform. He was quite disappointed to see that she wasn't there when class started and didn't have a clue where she could've been all throughout the school day.

By the end of the last class that day, there was still no sign of her and the obvious people for him to turn to were, of course, the rest of the club, who probably had no clue that he was even back yet. (Well, Kyoya probably did, since it _is _Kyoya, therefore the rest of them might, so yeah...)

"So akachan, this is the rest of Mommy and Daddy's high school! Isn't it really big and ridiculously pink? Yeah, I hate the color scheme too, but I still love coming here anyway, and hopefully you'll get to come here too when you're older!" Hikaru said in excitedly as he filmed the school while heading to the club room.

He had pretty much been recording his entire day as part of his cute little video package for his son or daughter, being pretty bent on filming _every _aspect of 'okaa-san' and 'otou-san''s pre-parenting lives, despite the protests from his teachers. Needless to say that the girls thought it was _such_ an adorable idea and were non-hesitatingly shoving each other out of the way to get into the video.

"And this is the best part, akachan! This is the room that the club Mommy and Daddy are in is! We're both part of a host club, which is a club that's main goal is to entertain...ladies?"

Once Hikaru approached the doors to the club room, he nearly dropped the camera and stared in confusion at the larger-than-usual group of girls squealing in excitement as they were all trying desperately (and aggressively) to sneak their ways in through the club room doors. It was a surprise that no teachers could hear all this commotion. Since the doors were closed shut, the girls' attempts were obviously to no avail. Hikaru realized that Haruhi was right, that there is something seriously wrong with the girls at this school.

"Um...ladies? Is there something wrong? Is the host club just not open today or something?" Hikaru asked as he took his eyes away from the camera and approached them cautiously, slightly twitching in fear that they might maul him.

"Oh, Hikaru-kun, it's an abomination I tell you! **An abomination!**" Renge turned away from the crowd and toward him and screeched in a mix of horror and fury, making him sweatdrop and slightly back away. "We finally finished that movie we were filming over the last few weeks and today's the big premiere during club hours, but they won't let us in! They're practically a half hour behind schedule already, but the worst part is that they won't even let **me**, the movie's **director**_, _**writer**_, _and **SFX editor **in beforehand! It's practically a **crime!**" With each bolded word she howled, Hikaru took one step back.

"Uh, okay...just settle down, Renge-kun, as should everyone else. I guess for as long as I've been gone, you haven't changed a bit, have you, _otaku_?" he asked matter-of-factly. She just huffed back and retured to pound on the doors with the other girls. Hikaru stared aimlessly at all their idiocy, before a certain cold voice broke through.

"I agree. This sort of _second-class _behavior is quite below us all, especially over something so cheap and meaningless." At the sound of her voice, Hikaru shot a glare straight towards her direction, just to see her coolly leaning against the wall, smirking at him and glancing in his own direction, as if knowing something he didn't.

"Hey, I'm pretty positive that Tono banned you from here over a year ago, so why don't you just scram..._Ayanokoji?_" he asked her coldly as he scowled at her. She lightly snickered in reply.

"Why excuse me, but I'm not _in _the club room, so Tamaki has no right to do anything, and neither do you for that matter. Oh, and I must say, congratulations on your engagement, despite your fiancée's background," she said as she crossed her arms and got comfortable in her position, knowingly pissing off Hikaru even further, but he tried his best not to let it get to him. They stood there silently for a tense moment, him glaring and her smirking almost evilly.

He himself didn't have much against her, other than the fact that she tried framing Haruhi (which, okay, was pretty bad) and was just rotten in general; he had a feeling that she was just acting byotchy, like usual, nothing different or anything. Like she said, nothing he could do about her just standing there, apparently just waiting and watching, so it was pretty much whatever to him, but he still have a bad feeling. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything to really prove though, so it really was whatever.

"Enjoy standing there like a post then." At those words, he pocketed his camera and turned back towards the crowd. He began having a difficult time trying to get passed all of them in attempt to get into the club room. "Guys, out of the way! I'm part of the club you know! Oh geez!" He finally got to the doors and slammed them shut _quick_, panting once he got into the room and shut the doors immediately before anyone (or anything) could get in...again. "Man, talk about the day that all hell finally breaks loose..." he said to himself, leaning against the doors, panting hard.

After inhaling deeply, he fell to the floor, sliding against the door. He briefly examined the darkened room, still able to make out Nekozawa and the rest of his club in the corner discussing something, along all the furniture and the newly added HD widescreen, bean bags chairs, and concession stands (and a DJ booth, which seemed weird). Screw Ayanokoji, Tamaki went all out of his way and it paid off because everything was cool-looking for sure. But he was only examining the room for a moment when his eyes rested on Kyoya, Honey, and Mori, who were all leaning against the doors leading to the dressing room with their ears pressed against them. Hikaru rose an eyebrow as he got up and walked over to them.

"Um, guys?" he said curiously as he approached them, but none of them faltered even slightly.

They all stared intently at the door they were pressing their ears against, no moving an inch (except Kyoya, who was jotting stuff down as he was trying to listen in), wishing to know what the hell was going on. Though Hikaru was obviously the most clueless of them all. For the first time all day, he completely forgot about the fact that he was concerned about Haruhi and where the hell she was. He had no clue that he was about to get his answer.

"What's going on? Why's everyone-"

"Shh, Hika-chan! We're trying to listen in on Haru-chan and Tama-chan!" Hikaru's eyes expanded at Haruhi's name, but no one really noticed or cared, unaware that she was absent all day until now. "He pulled her into there a few minutes ago to talk about something important We're almost certain that he's finally confessing!"

Hikaru didn't think it'd be possible, but his eyes expanded even wider and he felt like he was about to erode away (similar to how Tamaki did sometimes). Everyone directed their glances from the door (and Kyoya even stopped writing) towards him, not surprised in the least by his reaction, but they weren't expecting what was coming next. Honey and Mori definitely never thought that Hikaru would have the power to shove them out of the way.

"**Get the hell out of my way! She's **_**mine**_**, Tono, so stay the hell away from her!**"

* * *

"Tamaki-sempai, can you just spit it out already? The girls are waiting for us to just let them in and I think we've made them wait long enough. Plus, you've kept _me _waiting long enough too, so what is it?" Haruhi asked impatiently, shooting a glare at Tamaki's direction.

"Eh...eh...Haruhi...I...um...oh my gosh...I...duh..." Haruhi groaned to herself at his inability to form complete sentences. She was still oblivious as ever and had no clue as to what he was trying to tell her, but it was actually far from what everyone else was expecting, believe it or not. Despite that, it was still uncomfortable for him, being around her after his recent revalation.

Once Tamaki had succeeded in dragging her away into the (still lit) changing room, he quickly sat her down at a table and sat across from her, ready to tell her what he felt he really needed to. Again, neither her nor anyone else had a clue as to what he was planning on saying, but he believed that, after his talk with his mom, it was the right thing to do if he really did love her. Even if it was sadly unrequited, that didn't stop him from loving her and showing his love to her in the right way. But unfortunately for the both of them, the entire time, he was sweatting hard, short breaths and all, and staring down at his twidling fingers, failing to get a comprehensible sentence (or even a word) out. He looked back up at her from time to time, but that was never for a long time and it got harder once her facial expression started getting more agitated-looking. It really wasn't some huge thing or anything, but he still stared in agony at his bitten-off finger nails, trying to just get it out already.

_'Come on, you can do this. It's not like it's something for her to get angry at you for. You're doing the right thing and making Mommy (you're REAL mommy) proud! Think of it that way! Plus, no matter what, you love her, so just do it already! And seriously, look her in the eye when you say it! You're a host, for God's sake! The KING of hosts even!'_ he thought nervously to himself.

It didn't exactly help his cause that every time he looked up at her, he could clearly see that she was carrying someone else's child (someone who loved her dearly, someone he was sure she also loved back), which only emphasized the fact that he couldn't ever have her. But now, he was ready to swallow his pride (for one of those rare times in his life).

"Haruhi, just hear me out!" he finally exclaimed, jumping out of his seat, which surprised her a little, but on the inside she was relieved to finally hear a full, comprehensible sentence escape his lips. She looked up at the distressed look on his face and could tell how much he was struggling trying to make eye contact as he gripped the sides of the table. "I don't know if I've told you enough already, but Haruhi, I just really want you to know something: I'll always be here for you through thick and thin, no matter what! I care about you and will always be here to support you and get you through stuff like this!

"I know I'm not really your father and that biologically, we're not related, but I love and care about you! I'm forever grateful that you got to become part of the host club and...and...and like I've been saying, not just me, but we all love and care for you! Believe me, this is kinda hard to get out right now, but it's all so true! I've treasured every moment you've been with us and I really wanted you to know so."

Haruhi stared up at him, totally stunned by what was going on and coming out of his mouth, not exactly expecting him to have called her in here to talk to her alone for this. Tamaki temporarily paused to catch his breath, then resumed, but stayed a bit more calm this time as he released the sides of the table and sat back down.

"I'm sorry, kinda went off there, I guess. But anyway, I really just wanted you to know that, Haruhi," he said much more calmly as he reached over to grab her hands, looking her intently in the eye, which somehow didn't really phase her. "I and everyone are here for you and Hikaru. I understand how horrible these circumstances are, I mean, considering that your guys' child was concieved because he...drunkenly...raped you..." Those words felt like knives sliding down against Tamaki's throat as he said them. Haruhi noticed him cringing at the words that just came out. "But still, whatever you decide is best, I'm with you 100%!"

Haruhi was still quite stunned by all of this as she continued to just look at his determined expression. She well understood where he was coming from, and could surely appreciate it. Once it all finally sank into her head after an awkward silent moment, he was taken aback a bit to see a sincere-looking smile come across her face.

"Sempai, I can't tell you how much that means to me. Thank you so much, and I'm sure that I'll make the best decision and that everything will be fine. Again, that's so kind of you, Tamaki-sempai. I love and care for all you guys too."

Once again, the room was silent and Haruhi just smiled at Tamaki without another word as she waited for him to respond. He really wasn't sure what to say though. He just poured his heart out in a way without telling her his _true _feelings, but still in a loving way. He didn't exactly think this all the way through, sadly for him, so all he could do at the moment was stare back as he clenched his teeth and began sweatting out of nervousness again. Yeah, he was happy that she took this all well, but therein lies the problem: he didn't expect her to take it well _at all_.

_'Dammit! What now? I mean, I'm glad she feels that way, but...I was kinda expecting her to just get annoyed with me like she always does about me going over the top! Always, always, always! Oh, the awkwardness of it all! Do I just leave it like this? Does she even have any clue? If she does, is she just trying to be nice? Aah, my God! ...And why must she look so cute when she's happy? And she's looking so radiant today!'_

"Um..." was all that came out as he slowly retracted his hands back, trying not to let out the thoughts he was thinking out loud. That would've just ruined the whole thing if he did. "I...I'm...really glad you're good with it all Haruhi. Uh, I-"

"**Tono!**"

At that moment, Tamaki would've been relieved that someone just intruded and broke the awkward air in the room. (Well, to _Tamaki _it was awkward. Haruhi, not in the least.) The only problem? Said someone was, of course, Hikaru. So much for the tension being broken. Haruhi's smile disappeared and was replaced by a look of fear and nervousness when she felt Hikaru warp his arms around her very protectively. Tamaki just stared at him in surprise, but resisted blowing up at him like usual.

"Didn't I make it clear that she's _mine _a long time ago? So that sucks for you, Tono!" he exclaimed, transitioning from going on a tirade to just mocking Tamaki like usual.

Now in this situation, most would've expected Haruhi to roll her eyes once she looked up to see Hikaru cocky expression and just casually remove his arms while telling him to calm down. (So much for the mother getting moody all the time.) But in this case, this is the very first time she has seen him since her own revelation of her feelings for him. Still not sure what the hell to do about them, she had desperately tried keeping her distance from him since, rejecting his yoga offer and not even arriving to school that day until host club hours. She knew how important today was and, even if she missed school, wasn't going to flake out on the club. She knew that there was a pretty good chance that Hikaru would show up, but she had the unrealistic hope that just maybe, he wouldn't. That was out the window now. Right now, she couldn't help but shake in her apprehension, and Tamaki clearly saw it and his own suspicions were confirmed.

"Settle down, Hikaru, we were just talking. No need to worry about anything. I was just telling her how the rest of the club and I are here for both of you guys no matter what you decide. We all love and care about you both," Tamaki said coolly, his smile returning. He was now content with what he had done and felt much better (and less uncomfortable) now.

In response, Hikaru just stared at him in horror as he slowly let go of Haruhi. His powers (already weakened without Kaoru by his side) were never a match against a pure soul, and this time, Tamaki was no exception. He had no clue if Tamaki had really confessed or not, but either way, he was obviously now okay with the entire situation and was ready to help out, with or without _having _Haruhi. It was amazing indeed. Haruhi would've also facepalmed in this situation, but was still shaken by the fact that Hikaru was in the room at all.

"Um, okay...in that case, the rest of the guys and I will be waiting for you guys to finish up then...take your time while we get all the girls in here and settled..." were the last words that Hikaru was able to choke out as he quietly slid out of the room, still in shock and amazement at what just happened, even though it honestly wasn't that big of a deal.

Once Hikaru had taken one last, seriously confounded look at the two of them, he carefully closed the door, leaving Tamaki to turn his gaze back at Haruhi. His smile disappeared when he noticed her sitting there, taking in short breaths after receiving such a shock. Though this was very serious now and Tamaki was frowning on the outside, he was more than content inside over how this was turning out.

He didn't want to mention it to her out loud, at least not until she had made a firm decision, but he was still holding on to what he had told Kyoya months ago: it would only be fair to akachan to be able to be with both of his or her parents who Tamaki knew would love him or her so much. Sure, there are any number of adoptive couples out there who would be the same, but to Tamaki, it really wasn't the same. He knew that akachan deserved to have Haruhi and Hikaru, to be with his or her _real _family that would love him or her more than anyone else, even if he or she was illegitimate. The fact that Haruhi was finally starting to realize her feelings would make this possibility much more possible now, and Tamaki was definitely happy with that thought.

"Haruhi, it's okay. Breathe deeply now and relax, I assure you that everything will be fine," he tried telling her comfortingly, walking over to her side of the table to place his hand carefully onto her shoulder. In response, Haruhi just slammed her elbows onto the table and held her head in her hands as she looked down in distress.

"Tamaki-sempai, I don't know anything anymore," she said, her voice shaking. She could tell that Tamaki now knew. While he sucks when it comes to his own feelings, he was a pro when it came to anyone else's. "I never imagined that this would end up happening to me. I always cared for Hikaru no matter what, but this...I just can't believe it. But it's not the right thing right now! I shouldn't be stressing over this when I have much more important things to worry about! And I know that he told me that he loves me, but still...it's just too much right now..."

Tamaki looked down at her sadly as she choked back her tears. She was right, that it was almost unbelievable and that it was stressful, but he still believed that everything would be okay. He brought himself to smile down on her as he soothingly rubbed her back.

"Haruhi, like I just said, I just know everything will be alright. But I know for sure that it's nothing to worry about for so long. Love is supposed to be a beautiful thing, that you should embrace. Even if you think it's horrible timing, I don't think there's ever a wrong time to love anyone, and I hope you can realize that soon. But I definitely think you should let him know though, it's not fair to keep him in the dark."

"What?" Haruhi's head shot up and she looked at him with her teary eyes, which broke his heart slightly, but he had to persevere. "Tamaki-sempai, I get what you're saying, but still, I don't know..."

"Well I do, Haruhi," he said firmly, a serious expression coming upon his face. "Believe me, I know that you'll work up the courage to sooner than you think, and I know it'll be worth it, because with love, you guys can communicate so much better and then handling all this will be less stressful. Trust me. I know I've goofed up a lot-"

"I'd say much more than a lot, sempai." Tamaki felt almost compelled to go into his emo corner at her comment, but resisted.

"But anyway, I'm certain of this and that everything will be okay. Right now, I just want you two to be happy."

When she was sure he was done, Haruhi wiped her tears with her sleeve and found herself smiling up at him, which made him return one as well.

"Thank you so much, sempai. I hope you're right. Okay, now I think we should go have fun with everyone else, alright? I'm sure that we'll be happy after tonight as you said."

* * *

It was one of those _very _rare times in which Tamaki was right on about something. Once he and Haruhi were finished with their heart-to-heart, they joined everyone else out in the club room and began watching the movie. (To Tamaki, the rest of the club, and the girls' persistance, Kyoya agreed to show the entire thing, despite the possibility of drops in DVD sales.) Once it was over, everyone was really pumped afterward and, on a limb, decided to hang out in the club room for the rest of the night, despite it being a school night.

Usually, that sort of thing was fun and completely harmless, but Hikaru noticed how unusual it was that everyone was going so nuts that night (spastic dancing, furniture being destroyed, girls tearing off parts of their dresses to the point where some were nearly half-naked), but didn't think of it much as he leaned against a wall, observing all the wackiness. It was totally dark, minus the huge disco ball coming out of the ceiling. No one even cared that Renge, who was DJ-ing, only played anime tunes. (Who would've thought that DJ booth would get put to use?) Even Tamaki and Honey were a bit out of it, joining in with the girls in their almost suggestive dancing. (Mori was on the sidelines, making sure Honey wasn't getting hurt, and Kyoya was nowhere to be found for once.) Hikaru couldn't help but crack up every now and then at their stupidity. Despite the entertainment value, Hikaru knew this wasn't exactly appropriate to include into the video package at all.

"Hehe, this is awesome. Kaoru would love watching all these girls doing their thing right now and Tono acting like more of a retard than usual," he said to himself as he watched. He was enjoying it for a while, when all of a sudden, someone bumped into him. "Hey, watch where you're...Haruhi?" His look of irritation was replaced by one of surprise (and slightly of guilt from almost yelling at her, which he would've if it were anyone else).

"Oh, hi, Hikaru. I'm so sorry," she said quickly, looking down into her cup as she took a sip from it. Hikaru looked down at her and saw how tense she was, but she seemed fine compared to how stupid everyone else was acting. "How are you? Are you enjoying it as much as everyone else seems to be?"

"Um, are you okay, Haruhi?" He easily noticed how much she was shaking, but she was obviously trying not to show it.

"I'm fine Hikaru, but, um, can I tell you something?" Hikaru's eyes widened at her request. For the most part, he was more surprised that he could hear her over the blasting music, but he soon found himself being dragged out of the club room and into the dimly-lit school hallways. He hadn't a clue what could've been going on, but obviously was fine with letting her take him out into the hallways to talk _alone_.

"Uh, what're we doing out here, Haruhi?" Hikaru asked her, not having a clue what was going on, but he was starting to feel as nervous as she looked right about now. She continued fiddling with her cup, but she finally looked up at him, ready to tell him what she felt she needed to.

"Okay, this really isn't easy for me to say, Hikaru, but it's very important and I felt that I should tell you as soon as possible, and I think it's pretty fitting right now since this was going to happen eventually anyway and with the baby and all, but if it's alright with you..."

Hikaru was in no way prepared for what she was going to say to him, considering what weird circumstances it was under and that it was _her _saying it. It was monumentous, and the second every word escaped her lips, his eyes widened to new circumferences and he had no clue what to think, or even reply with.

"...can we get married, as soon as possible?"


	22. No One Needs to Know

(A/N: Whoa, you guys seem pumped for the wedding! Hehe, I'm sure you guys will be quite happy with this chapter then...maybe, maybe not, I dunno, I'm not gonna spoil anything though, but I'll apologize right now for not including the actual wedding scene and if it seemed like some stuff was kinda crammed into this chapter, but it's very important and I wanted the menial stuff out of the way. [You'll see why.] I tried to get this done before the long weekend was over since I sadly don't update during the week really anymore. [My school also gets tomorrow off, so I get an extra long weekend!] Enjoy then!)

* * *

Hikaru was completely speechless. Haruhi noticed how astounded he was over her simply asking him to marry her _asap_, but didn't comment. She just stood there silently, looking up at the overwhelmed expression on his face curiously as she just stood there herself, waiting for some response.

The poor boy was _NOT _expecting her to ever be so rash. Since he first gave her the ring, he never even thought about wedding plans at all, mostly because neither of them nor anyone else really mentioned marriage that frequently, and he wasn't exactly in any huge rush since he was, like Haruhi, more concerned about preparing for akachan's arrival than anything else. Sadly, he still had no clue that until this point, she was never really planning on marrying him ever, but forget that now. Only now did the thought of getting married re-enter his mind, and it's needless to say that while he was still shocked by her request and thought that this was quite unusual of her, she seemed dead serious about it and he was completely all for it.

After collecting his thoughts back together, a huge grin came across his face and he began slightly spazzing out excitedly as he just casually tossed his cup behind him, not caring where it landed. "Definitely, Haruhi! I'd love to marry you as soon as possible, but we have so many things we need to plan and sort out first, like-"

"No, Hikaru," she said firmly, dropping her own cup and grabbing his hands, which made him freeze and a confounded look came across his face. "I don't care about all that complicated stuff or any elaborate planning or anything like that, I just want us to finally be together. All that matters is that it's the two of us there, finally joining together as one. That's all I need, if that's okay with you. And also, I really want us to get married _tonight_."

Hikaru saw how stern her expression was, and that she really meant all of that. When he thought about getting married, he never really thought that he'd end up eloping; being the rich boy he is, he did always imagine his wedding (which he never really thought he'd have as a kid, hating girls and other people and all) would in fact be _very_ elaborate and fancy, but she was right. As long as it was the two of them joining together finally, then it would be fine with him, and his smile returned at that thought.

"Alrighty then! Tonight it is then, my Haru-darling!" Haruhi's stern expression was quickly replace by one of joy and she lightly giggled at his nickname. "I don't what anyone else thinks, let's go now then! But first, there is one thing I need to do, so please just wait here and I'll be back in a sec, dear!"

Haruhi waved back to him and blew him a kiss just as he was running back into the noisy club room, which he returned with one of his own. He didn't look forward to going back in and trying to get past all the crazed girls who were partying just to get to who he needed to get to. Once he was in and mapped out a (not very) easy way to manuever around to get to his target, he took a deep breath and went forth. He had to somewhat yell over the loud music in order to get girls to move over, but after a few moments of getting past the crowd of the more 'scantily clad' girls, he finally got to whom he was looking for, though he himself was a little bit out of it, dancing spastically, and wouldn't be the easiest person to talk to.

"Tono! Can we talk for a sec? It's super important!" Hikaru yelled at Tamaki, tugging him by the sleeve to get him to pay attention to him. Hikaru jumped a little when he saw Tamaki, who had thrown his jacket and tie off long ago and had his hair totally messed up, look straight at him giddily with blood-shot eyes.

"Hey, Hikaru! Isn't this awesome? Look at how happy all of our lovely customers are and how much fun they're having!" he said excitedly as he was twirling one (badly), then eventually letting her go to crash into the wall. Hikaru just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, that's great and all, but Tono, this is important! Haruhi and I are getting married tonight and I need to ask you something!" At the mention of Haruhi's name, Tamaki froze for a second before suddenly grabbing Hikaru. "Hey, what's the big idea? Hey!" Soon, Hikaru found himself being picked up by (an unusually strong) Tamaki and being carried over to the corner of the room. "Okay, this is kinda weird, Tono, and-"

"That's super-fantabulous, Hikaru! I'm so happy for you guys!" Tamaki screeched with joy as he spun Hikaru around happily, gripping onto him tightly before finally slowing down to squeeze him even more tightly.

"Okay, yeah, thanks Tono, but I just wanted to ask you something..." Hikaru began, somewhat suffocating from Tamaki's embrace. Tamaki was smiling like some happy little kid as their faces pressed together. "Um, if it's not to much trouble, I was just wondering if you'd be my best man...if you don't feel too uncomfortable about it..."

At those words, Tamaki stopped and released Hikaru immediately, which made Hikaru sigh in relief that he could finally breathe again. He saw the surprised look on Tamaki's face as he waited for an answer (VERY similar to how he was not too long ago when Haruhi was asking him about getting married). Not similar to earlier, it didn't take as long for those words to sink into Tamaki's head and for him to pick up Hikaru again to hug tightly.

"Of course, silly! I'd love nothing more! I am so honored and we must get to a chapel right away!" he said triumphantly, pointing to the sky in victory with one hand while nearly choking Hikaru again underneath his other arm. "But don't worry, I swear I won't tell anyone else 'cause no one else needs to know anyway, especially Kaoru! He'd be so insanely jealous! Tee-hee!"

Hikaru was definitely happy on the inside that he said yes, but rolled his eyes again at how weird he was acting and at the mention of Kaoru. Unfortunately, Hikaru was still completely oblivious as to why Tamaki and pretty much everyone else were acting the way they were. Before he could really ponder it. he soon found himself screaming as he was being dragged out of the room at a million miles an hour and getting thrown into a limo with Tamaki and Haruhi before he could even blink. What a night this would surely be...

* * *

Kyoya took yet another quick look at his watch. He groaned to himself when he saw that it was already half an hour past eleven, and yet he could still hear everyone whooping it up from inside the club room.

_'God, shouldn't they all be home already? It is a school night after all, and I don't exactly want to be here myself. Unfortunately, as a host, I'm taking it upon myself to not leave my post until every lady has left the club room. Still, this is quite annoying...' _he thought angrily to himself as he turned back to his laptop, typing away about whatever as he sat in one of the couple of folding chairs in the large pantry where all of Honey's snacks are stored.

Once the movie was over and everyone decided to hang around, he made it clear that he wanted no part of it and retreated into the pantry so he could have some peace and quiet. Though as the party got crazier, it became much harder to block out all the noise and concentrate on whatever it was he was working on, especially the couple of time he heard glass breaking. This was not exactly his ideal picture of a successfuly host club day, even though they've never had such an enthusiastic group of customers ever before, but with all the stuff he could hear breaking, their profits would end up being cancelled out by the expenses that'd have to be paid to repair everything. Kyoya now knew that the host club was no longer going to be having anymore wild parties after tonight.

_'What the hell is with all of these girls sounding so barbaric? Even if they are having fun, which I could never relate to, it sounds like it's getting out of hand, but I don't exactly feel like going out there to clean up anything until they're all finally gone.'_

As he began typing more rapily out of his impatience, he was only further irritated when he heard the door suddenly open, but his angered expression softened when he saw that it was a very grim looking Mori, who carefully closed the door behind him. Kyoya looked at him curiously as he walked over to him, holding a cup of some red liquid in his hand, probably commoners' punch, Kyoya would've guessed.

"Kyoya," he said stoically as he eventually came up in front of him. Unlike all the girls and Honey, Mori was the sole person at the party who still had some sanity left.

"Mori-sempai, how are things out there? I imagine that they're starting to go kind of crazy out there, am I correct?" Kyoya asked casually as he shut his laptop and stood up, placing it carefully on the chair he was just sitting on.

"We have a serious problem, and it's the reason why everyone's begun to lose it," he said darkly, practically shoving the cup into Kyoya's face. "Don't drink it though."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow as he slowly took the cup out of Mori hands. He didn't really understand what the big deal was; it looked like ordinary, fruity commoners' punch. Yeah, it was pulpier than other brands, but nothing struck Kyoya as odd about it as it swooshed around in the plastic cup. Mori saw the confusion in Kyoya face about what was wrong with it.

"Smell it."

Kyoya thought that was a somewhat odd request, but he went ahead and did so. Once he did, he nearly dropped the cup in fury as his eyes, like Hikaru's earlier, expanded to new circumferences and he clenched his teeth angrily. Mori moved quickly out of his way as he stormed out of the pantry, around the still-partying girls (and Honey), and hastily yanked the stereo's plug right out of the wall, causing the music to suddenly stop. At that action, everyone stopped 'dancing' and turned towards Kyoya's direction, shooting glares at him as they all started whining. Kyoya was no longer going to stand for it though, even if his job is to make girls happy.

"**Party's over!** So everyone had better get the torn-off remnants of their clothing in an orderly fashion and **go home **this very moment before I call my family's police force and have all of you put in a juvenile delinquency center for underage drinking and property damages! And to top it all off, the host club will be closed for the remainder of the school term while we are doing so now-necessary renovations, so I hope you all have a good rest of the term!" he roared furiously, which made everyone shut up right there and then and begin to pick up anything that might've belonged to them.

They all pretty much realized that he wasn't serious about them having a good rest of the term. Even the most drunk ladies (including Renge) were too terrified of him to act out. Kyoya stared over everyone like a hawk as they did so. Soon enough, they were all gone and all that was left in the now-lit club room was broken furniture and food and drink spilled everywhere. Kyoya looked at it all in disgust, then he shot a glare right down at Honey, who had the nerve to approach him at this moment in time.

"Kyo-chan, is something wrong? What do you mean about the drinking part?" Honey asked him innocently, with his eyes very teary-looking. Kyoya's look of anger disappeared as he looked down at his sempai, realizing that he was unaware that anything bad had happened. Kyoya was also relieved; Honey was obviously sober and was probably just joining in with everyone in their wacky behavior for fun.

"Someone had spiked the punch bowl, Mitsukuni. We don't know who, but she will be in deep trouble once we find out," Mori said as he approached the two of them. Kyoya nodded in reply at what he said, that whoever did it was not off the hook once they find out.

"I agree with you, Mori-sempai. After I call in some guys to get everything repaired tomorrow, we can check the security cameras in Chairman Suoh's office to see who was spiking the punch bowl. I'll see to it that-" Before Kyoya could finish, he felt his phone vibrating and ringing very loudly in his pocket. "What is it with people calling me so late lately?" he asked himself out loud as he took it out.

The other two stared intently at him as he was taking it out of his pocket and looking to see what it was about. Kyoya saw that it was not a call or text at all, but some sort of breaking news headline (which he programmed to have alert him if something interesting were to come up), and his jaw nearly dropped the second he read said headline. Honey and Mori both saw the look on his face and were obviously curious.

"Oh no...this was exactly what I was trying to avoid, now it was all for nothing...and now that I think about it, where the hell are Tamaki, Haruhi, and Hikaru anyway?" Kyoya looked up from the phone in agony as he examined the room, not one of those three in sight.

"We don't know, Kyo-chan. A while ago, we saw the three of them talking, but then they suddenly disappeared," Honey said quietly. "Haru-chan and Hika-chan were saying something about getting married tonight though, but that's all I heard before they must've left, though I didn't even notice them leaving. Is that a bad thing, Takashi? I thought weddings were always happy things!"

"Not in this case, Mitsukuni. Eloping is never a smart idea. Kyoya, we have to find them before it's too late," Mori said, looking back from Honey to Kyoya seriously. The two of them nodded and after Mori picked up Honey, were out the door asap, running to whichever of their limos was closest outside.

"Oh yeah, what was the thing on your phone, Kyo-chan?" Honey asked, holding on tightly to Mori's neck as the other two kept running. In response, Kyoya handed the phone right to him. Honey almost began crying as he read the article.

"What is it, Mitsukuni?" Mori asked, panting hard.

"It's an online article...and the headline reads...'Hitachiin Heir's Child Conceived with a Commoner During Drunken Rampage!'...poor Hika-chan and Haru-chan, it's probably been forwarded to everyone in school by now!"

Mori usually would've halted for a second to comfort his cousin (who was surely in tears now), but in this case, they had to hurry up and find the other three. There were no leads as to who could've found out about Hikaru raping Haruhi, and in addition, who spiked the punch bowl. Unbeknown to them, the answers to two different questions were really only one.

* * *

"Oh my gosh! You guys look so kawaii! I just can't stand it!" Tamaki squealed like a little girl as he swooned over the wedding pictures he and Haruhi were looking at that were taken of her and Hikaru after they were officially married.

Once they had all piled into the limo, Tamaki told his driver (who didn't comment about the wedding plans) to take them to the closest and best wedding chapel in the Tokyo area right away. As soon as they got there, they got everything settled: They got their marriage certificates (and through bribery, weren't required parental permission), picked out a priest, picked the music, and got their tuxes and gown. (Haruhi easily found one with a big enough waistline, considering two people getting married under similar circumstances was quite frequent.)

When Haruhi had her dress on, her hair and make-up all done, and looked at herself in the mirror, she just couldn't believe it. She was actually getting married, and it was to the guy she truly loved and had loved for so long, but never embraced her feelings for until tonight. It was obviously scaring the crap out of her that this was happening so fast, and she wished that her parents could have been there, but she felt that it was right. She was the one to suggest that they got married that night, and it was happening now no matter what. She had a feeling that it was just right and that things would now work themselves out now. Things would now be perfect finally.

After they had everything set, they were more than ecstatic to walk down the short aisle and be wed. Tamaki couldn't help but sob the entire time, just at the beauty of it all, even if it was just a cheap ceremony. Hikaru, at the moment the priest pronounced them man and wife, realized that Haruhi was right, that even if they were in cheap tuxes and gowns or being married on a whim without their loved ones there, it was still special because it was the two of them there, being joined forever in sickness and death 'til death do they part. Or something like that...either way, he still loved it, for the most part that is.

There was one sucky thing about it that pissed him off though: because there was a couple rushing to go right after them, the priest shoved them out before they could kiss, but assured them that they were definitely married anyway. Once they were out, they got their wedding photos taken by the photographer in a snap (literally) and when that was finally over, Hikaru went up to the register to pay for everything while Haruhi and Tamaki were sitting at a nearby bench looking at the pictures.

"Are you sure, Tamaki-sempai? I don't think I look cute at all. In fact...I look more like an oversized white blimp instead of a bride! Oh God, why me!" she sobbed as she looked at the pictures, then buried her face right into Tamaki's chest. On the inside, he and Hikaru, who could see everything going on from the counter, began freaking out on the inside at Haruhi's rare moment of moodiness.

"No, no! Don't think of it that way, my sweet little girl! You're the cutest blimp I've ever seen, I swear! You're wedding pictures are perfect and are to be treasured forever!" Tamaki said comfortingly as he patted her back as she cried, but that went away quickly as she perked up almost right away...

"Really? You think so? Thank you so much, Tamaki-sempai! I'm so lucky to have you as a friend and father figure! My and Hikaru's wedding wouldn't have been as great at it was without you! And thank you again for always being here for me!" she exclaimed cheerfully, pulling Tamaki into a tight hug and cried more, but tears of joy at least this time.

"Oh, I'm so glad, Haruhi!" he exclaimed cheerfully as well, hugging her back and enjoying the moment of having her in his arms while he could. They laughed jovially, despite the stares they were getting from other couples who were in the front of the chapel with them at the moment. "I'm so happy that you're so happy now and that-"

"That's enough, Tono. Now she's _legally _mine, so stay your distance from now on or else," Hikaru said irritatingly, pulling Tamaki away by the ear and sitting down next to his new wife himself. "But it _is _so great, Haruhi! We're finally together after all this time!" he said, beginning to cry tears of joy himself as he took her hands into his. He felt even giddier as she smiled back at him. "Everything's just so perfect now! And once our child is with us, we'll be the most adorable and perfect family ever! Isn't life so nice sometimes?"

"Yes it is, Hikaru! I'm sorry that I was so stubborn before, but not as sorry as I am that we didn't really have our kiss during the ceremony. How about we finally make it happen?"

At Haruhi's suggestion, Hikaru's face only lit up even more, which initially didn't seem possible. He shook his head rapidly, so then the two of them closed their eyes and slowly began to move their faces closer to each other, going in for their first real one. After getting literally thrown out of the way, Tamaki went into his emo corner to sulk for a bit, but when he heard them talking about kissing right _now_, he gripped onto the side of the bench and watched them with his happy puppy eyes as he barked cheerfully. Sure, it was still kind of hard for him to see them together, but he was genuinely happy for them and that they'd finally be together and show their true love for one another. And right now, it was official and was going to be made known within the next couple seconds. It was beautiful indeed as everyone around them watched in awe, hoping that they'd experience the same joy as they were once all of them got married.

Well, this moment would've been beautiful, and that first kiss probably would've felt magical, had said moment not been rudely interrupted to the slamming of the front doors open.

"**Nobody move!** We're looking for a Mr. Suoh, Mr. Hitachiin, and a Miss Fujioka, so nobody leaves until I see them here front and center!"

Hikaru and Haruhi, not even an inch away from having their lips touch, paused and, along with a dazed Tamaki, looked right to the front doors of the chapel to see a _very _stressed out-looking Kyoya. Their eyes nearly popped out of their heads as they saw that he was panting very hard, looked like a total mess, and his eyes looked totally blood shot as he was pointing from the front doors at nothing in particular as he yelled out his order. Next to him were a much more chilled out-looking (but also worried on the inside) Honey and Mori, who, unlike the freaked-out Shadow King, spotted the two lovebirds and their other King right away.

"Uh, Kyo-chan, they're right there. You need to calm down a little bit before you scare everyone away!" Honey said as he pointed right to the bench that the three of them were at.

"Oh..." Kyoya said flatly, getting his cool back for the most part and putting his arm down back at his side as the six of them all just stood or sat there motionlessly without a single word for a bit as the air became tense enough to cut through with a knife, or whatever the phrase is.

Talk about awkwardness. Yeah, Kyoya and other two had found the people they were looking for after making two horrible discoveries: the spiked punch and the world finding out about what Hikaru did to Haruhi. So yeah, they were found, now what? Due to the awkward air surrounding everyone at the moment, Kyoya briefly forgot his plan once the runaway trio was found. Once he got his thoughts back together after a while, he shook his head and a dead-serious look could be seen on his face, which scared Haruhi, Hikaru, and even Tamaki a bit.

"Honey-sempai, Mori-sempai, now!" he commanded them.

Obviously, the other three had no clue as to what Kyoya was referring to when he told Honey and Mori to apparently do something at that moment, but they did once they found that they each stuck some weird tube in each of their mouths. Haruhi, Hikaru, and Tamaki's eyes all widened at the realization that the things in their mouths were none other than breathalyzer tests. All three of them began whining and shaking their heads back in forth in rebellion, but the tubes were taken out of their mouths quickly enough as the results were being calculated.

"Hey! What's the big deal, guys? I'm over my addiction already! Don't you guys trust me? You're ruining my wedding day, you know!" Hikaru whined as he folded his arms like a stubborn little kid, but no one paid any attention to him, despite the fact that he pretty much just revealed the whole wedding to them. (Unbeknown to him, they all pretty much knew about it by now, especially since they were able to find out that they _were_ at a wedding chapel of all places.)

"Yeah! And by the way, it's _Mrs. Hitachiin _now," Haruhi whined along with him. Now _that _was definitely worth noting to Kyoya, for Haruhi would never act that immaturely, even with her moodiness every now and again. He was surely scared to death on the inside, but he wasn't going to freak until it was shown on the test for her.

"I got 0.0 on Hika-chan, Kyo-chan. He seems perfectly sober anyway, and I think all he drank at the party was lemonade," Honey reported as he looked at the results for Hikaru. In response, Hikaru huffed and turned away from them.

"I told you guys that you're freaking out over nothing. See? I'm perfectly fine, so can you guys calm down and-"

"0.046, and he's certainly behaving so," Mori said as Tamaki's numbers came up on the test. Tamaki just smiled widely in response, obviously not sober or aware of what was happening. "Mitsukuni and I will make sure that he gets home okay right away and give him something. We'll see you and report to you tomorrow, Kyoya."

With those last words, Kyoya nodded back to him and the two of them handed their breathalyzer tests back to him. After Mori (easily) picked up Tamaki, who was somewhat trying to resist by whining again and flailing his limbs, the three of them exited the chapel and went into Honey's limo to take Tamaki home before the other two did so. Kyoya would be able to handle the rest of it on his own.

At that, Hikaru's eyes re-widened and he stared at Kyoya in horror as he was waiting for Haruhi results to come up. (At the moment, all Haruhi was doing was looking back and forth curiously at both of them, not comprehending the situation.) Unlike the other three who just barged in and, in his opinion, ruined his wedding day, he had no clue what was going on or why Tamaki would be drunk at all in the first place. They didn't have any of the complimentary wine that came with the wedding package they had bought yet, so he hadn't a clue what the hell was going on. Hikaru certainly wished that he knew, and it scared him. Mainly because if Tamaki was drunk for some reason, then...

"Oh no..."At those two nearly inaudible words that came out of Kyoya's mouth, Hikaru felt his heart drop and didn't want any number other than 0.0 to come out, but alas. "...0.062...Hikaru, help me get her into the ambulance outside now so she can get checked out in case something happened!" Kyoya commanded him as he grabbed one side of Haruhi, who wasn't fighting back at all but was still just looking around in a daze, and waited for Hikaru to do the same. "Hikaru, you have to work with me in case the baby might have been harmed!"

Hikaru saw the impatient and fearful look on his sempai's face, but he couldn't bring himself to move. Any joy he felt from being a newly-wed was replaced by sorrow and fear at this point. Kyoya saw how much he was shaking and the tears slowly falling off of his face, but he still needed Hikaru to work with him now. Eventually, Hikaru swallowed hard and grabbed Haruhi's other arm. Swiftly, they got her into the ambulance without much trouble. Kyoya took a seat and began calling the hospital while Hikaru sat at Haruhi's side while a paramedic was doing some weird blood test on her, clutching her hand tightly as he tried holding back his tears. Kyoya could see him as he was on the phone and looked at him with pity, but he was trying the best he could. Hikaru eventually fell to his knees and he couldn't resist softly crying when he saw how indifferent Haruhi was looking about the whole situation, but that wasn't her fault and he knew she wouldn't do anything like that intentionally, but it just hurt him so much.

_'Akachan...I have no clue how the hell any of this happened, but please just be okay...please, I can't lose you or find out that you're hurt...please...'_


	23. Forgotten

(A/N: Hmm...I was so hoping to go three days in a row with updates; obviously that didn't happen and I apologize. I hope I didn't scare the crap out of you guys too much [or disappoint] with the last chapter, but just to remind you guys, I promised not to kill anyone else, and I swear that you'll all be breathing again after this chappie. I just hope it's okay that this one is a bit shorter. I'm surprised I did three in a row that had 5,000+ words! :D

I think I mentioned this before, but I just wanted to let you guys know that, as a HikaHaru lover, I HATE what happens in the manga, so keep in mind that this is COMPLETELY anime-based and anything that only happened in the manga doesn't exist here [including Hikaru dying his hair, which made me cry {On deviantart, I HATE seeing pics of him with that hair color and to me, the whole picture's just ruined! But that's just me, everyone's entitled to what they like.}]. Sorry!

Also, because you're an anonymous reviewer and I can't PM you, to Serelinda: I never knew Ayanokoji had a brother! It was her you were referring to, right?)

* * *

Out of habit, Kyoya, who sitting patiently in a seat right outside of the room Haruhi was in, felt the urge to take out his phone to check all his usual crap. However, at this particular moment, he was simply sinking into the chair, his worries consuming him on the inside, but he tried his best not to show it. Hikaru on the other hand was pretty much the polar opposite, whimpering to himself as he rapidly paced back and forth in front of the door, waiting for _anyone _to come out and tell him that everything is okay. While his constant pacing back and forth irritated Kyoya, Kyoya was more worried for him than irritated. Who would've known that he really did have a heart?

"Hikaru, seriously, you've got to calm down and stop pacing, it's not good for you to worry like this. I'm very sorry that this ended up happening, but I'm sure that Haruhi and your baby are both fine. Her BAC was only slightly high, so she probably didn't end up consuming any dangerous amount of alcohol at least, so the risk that anything happened shouldn't be too high. Now please sit down and relax a little before-"

"Just shut the hell up, Kyoya-sempai!" Hikaru cried hysterically, halting for a moment to look down at Kyoya and give him a death glare/scowl combo, hot tears still rolling down his face. "You don't know that! You might think that you know everything, but you really don't! You just don't! Just that she inhaled a single drop of alcohol is enough to hurt both her and our child, and I know so firsthand how harmful it is, so don't act so confident that everything's fine when it all might be ruined now!"

At Hikaru's little outburst, Kyoya stared at him sadly for a second as he sank a bit farther into his seat, not really sure what to say next. Hikaru continued glaring at him with his fists tightened as his tears continued to fall. He didn't let a single audible breath out as he stared down at his sempai, obviously still shaken up by his overflowing emotions (which, of course, included a mix of sadness, fear, and anger at whoever the punch-spiking culprit was).

Looking from Kyoya to the floor for a moment, he groaned loudly as he dropped right into a chair. He wheezed heavily as he stared up at the ceiling, his arms lying limply off the arms of the chair. He knew that Kyoya was right, that he needed to calm down. There wasn't anything either of them could do but just wait until someone came out of that room to tell them absolutely anything. How he hated that so much with a burning passion.

"I'm sorry, Kyoya-sempai...for everything I've said and done. You're right, I just hate this...but..." Kyoya looked at Hikaru sitting next to him, who was choking on his own tears as he struggled to get any words out. "...What'd Haruhi do that was so wrong to deserve this...what'd our innocent little akachan do that was so wrong...it's just not fair...I'm the one that deserves to be punished, not them. Is this how God's punishing me for taking Kaoru's life...by first taking one of my kids' lives...and now taking the other's and that of the girl I love? It just doesn't seem right...why isn't it my life?"

"Hikaru, please snap out of it. You're not being punished by God for _anything_, and you certainly didn't take Kaoru's life, so don't think that," Kyoya said firmly, sitting up and facing him as Hikaru continued to stare lifelessly at the ceiling. He pitied him so much, but now he seemed to be losing it. "Haruhi's definitely not going to die, there's no possibility of that at all, and your baby should definitely be alive, so please stop worrying."

Kyoya saw that he was not getting through to Hikaru at all; he groaned loudly as he smacked himself and fell back into his seat. He understood that Hikaru was frustrated by all this and that it was honestly too much for _anyone_ to handle, but thankfully, they didn't have that much longer to wait...

"Mr. Hitachiin?"

At the sound of the nurse's voice, Hikaru's head swiftly turned from facing the heavens to her standing at the door, but the distress easily seen in his facial expression was not going anywhere. Kyoya turned to look towards her curiously as well. It made him somewhat relieved inside to see that she looked somewhat content. Hopefully it was what he was thinking (and what Hikaru couldn't have been praying for more than anything).

"We're pretty much finished up, and I'm happy to tell you that your child doesn't appear to be showing any signs of harm from the alcohol and other than a bit of a hangover, your wife is fine as well, though she has fallen asleep, the poor girl. So anyway-"

Before the nurse could finish what she was saying, the main news she just brought to Hikaru and Kyoya's attention had sunk into Hikaru's head. He bolted right out of his seat and past the nurse into the room. The nurse stared at Hikaru in shock (similar to how she did when she saw them enter the hospital wearing a wedding gown and tuxedo) once she saw him at Haruhi's bedside, gripping her hand firmly, obviously talking to her as she slept peacefully on the cot in the examination room.

"Um, Mr. Hitachiin?" she squeaked out nervously. She slightly jumped when she saw Kyoya walk up next to her.

"Sorry about him, he was just very worried and is probably beyond relieved, as you can probably imagine," Kyoya said very respectfully (as usual) to her as he looked happily at the cute newlyweds. "If it's alright and you won't be needing this specific room, I'm hoping that you guys could just let her sleep here for the rest of tonight. I can't imagine that she'll really be up to going to school tomorrow anyway if her hangover ends up being kind of too much on her."

"But of course, Kyoya-sama, that's perfectly fine! I will let her be for tonight."

"Good and thank you very much. I must be going now then, so good night."

After a couple bows, Kyoya smiled back at the nurse and then went on out the doors to get into his own limo that he called for earlier. As he got comfortable in his seat and asked his driver to take him straight home, his smile was quickly replaced by a grim-looking frown; this whole situation was _beyond _worse than just not good. Someone had to have spiked the punch bowl and he was going to find out no matter what. Whoever did so was now responsible for potentionally hurting his friends (and clients), and Kyoya was going to make that person pay. Knowing who we're talking about, the Shadow King himself, said person was _definitely_ going to pay.

_'It's a good thing that I decided to close the host club for the rest of the term, because I believe that we'll be pretty busy trying to find out who this person is for a while. Considering it was probably a customer, it was probably a girl, so that narrows it. Oh, she can forget about spending her time at Ouran any longer. And not just her, but the lowlife who found out about Hikaru raping Haruhi and then told the whole world about it..they might think they're getting away with hurting innocent people because of who-knows-why, but not if I can help it...'_

* * *

"Haruhi...akachan...thank God..." Hikaru quietly weeped as he was kneeling by Haruhi's bedside. Unlike him, who was still in his now sweaty tuxedo after all this time, she was out of her gown and clad in a clean hospital gown as she slept peacefully (angelically in Hikaru's opinion) on the cot in the hospital room.

The second the nurse told him that she was alright, he stormed right past her to be with his...wife, and see her being okay. He gritted his teeth as his tears kept falling, though he didn't know why. Was it joy? Was it just from all the stress? He didn't think about it; he just didn't want to leave her side for one second. After letting some of his stress go, he breathed in deeply and smiled as he saw how angelic she looked as she slept, partially on her side facing him as if she knew he was kneeling right there. He crept over closer to her, gently moving a few pieces of her hair off of her face and kissing her forehead, but quickly retracted that hand back so he could hold her own in his.

"Oh my God...I just can't believe this happened," he whispered to her, though the only noise coming out of her was quiet breathing every now and then. "Believe me, I hope you never get drunk again. I know how much it hurt me and it'd kill me to see you go through the same pain. I swear, there will _never, ever_ be alcohol in our house _ever_, not after all this crap. Hell, alcohol is crap! If it wasn't for me drinking myself stupid in the first place, none of this would even be happening and today would've just been a normal day at school and everything would've been better than it is now..."

At the realization of what he just said, Hikaru lightly gasped and his eyes shot open; he quickly regretted what just came out of his mouth. His grip on her hand loosened as his eyes darted right to Haruhi's rounded abdomen, noticeably bulging against her hospital gown, as his hand gently caressed it.

"No! Oh my God, I didn't mean that, not entirely at least! I still love you akachan, and I wouldn't give you up for anything, _anything!_ I take it back; _you're _making everything better than it would be now otherwise and please always remember that Daddy loves you!" Hikaru exclaimed nervously as if akachan was already born and lying right in front of him; he somehow kept his freaking out quiet enough that Haruhi didn't wake up. "I hate what I did to Mommy and that's how you ended up being conceived, but I'm so happy that you were. And now that Mommy and I are married, everything will be perfect once you're born, okay? But right now, Daddy's just beyond happy that you're alright, and that's more than I could ask for..." Hikaru's expression softened more and he felt a bit more relieved when he was surprised to feel what he was sure was a lite kick. He would definitely be able to sleep during whatever was left of that night.

Hikaru let out a yawn, looking at the clock to see that it was already about half past one in the morning. He realized that there'd be no way he'd be able to get in enough sleep before shool started tomorrow.

"It doesn't matter, I'm never abandoning you guys _ever_, not for anything..." he said just as he decided that it'd probably be a good idea to go to sleep.

* * *

Tamaki's head was definitely killing him the next morning, but that didn't keep him home from school that day. After he decided to take a few pain relievers (dropped off by Mori unbeknown to him), he felt as energetic and, in his humble opinion, perfect as usual. But while he was feeling completely fine physically, a few things occurred to him and definitely began bugging him once he arrived on school grounds and began heading to his homeroom.

_'...What the hell happened last night? I don't even remember anything! The last thing I remember is all of the girls and the rest of the club having some fun after the movie premiere was over, but after that, I found myself waking up in my bed this morning with the most horrible headache ever! What's up with that? I'm sure Kyoya can tell me, but that's so weird still! I don't know what the hell the world's coming to anymore! And along with that, what's everyone chatting so obsessively about anyway?' _

As he went through the hallways, he looked curiously at everyone talking exciting about something as they were looking at and listening to something on their phones. He was surprised that they were all giving him occasional glances, but not out of awe that it was the host club king walking on by; they were more like judgemental looks. Tamaki felt a huge knot in his throat and the beads of sweat going down his skin once he got to his homeroom, where he got the same reactions from the other kids there.

_'Why is everyone looking at me like that? I don't like it at all! I want them to be looking at me happily like they usually do!'_

As he mourned about all this in his head, he took his seat and turned around, expecting to find Kyoya in his own usual seat right behind him. He didn't, simple as that.

_'That's definitely the weirdest thing all morning. Kyoya would never be absent for _anything_, no matter what...oh no...HE MUST BE GRAVELY ILL! __**NO!**__' _**"NO! KYOYA!"**

Everyone's looks of disapproval turned into those of fear as they all slightly backed away at Tamaki's sudden, over-dramatic outburst. As Tamaki held his head in his emotional turmoil, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, which made him settle down as he looked curiously at it once he took it out. He eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when Kyoya's name came up on the screen, indicating that he sent Tamaki a Facebook IM.

_'Oh my God, sweet relief!' _Tamaki thought as he flipped his phone open to read the IM.

**Kyoya: I'm working on something important right now and won't be around during school. I'll be in the club room by the end of last period so I can explain everything to you, Honey-sempai, and Mori-sempai in person.**

Tamaki always laughed to himself whenever Kyoya IM'd him. He never understood why his best friend never just used text talk, which made texting so much easier.

**Tamaki: k! i was SO worried bout u, kyoya! but k, i'll c u there w/ the others l8r!**

**Kyoya: See you there. (Kyoya logged off.)**

**Tamaki: mornin, honey- and mori-sempais!**

**Honey: morning, tama-chan**

**Mori: hey**

**Tamaki: do u guys kno wats up w/ kyoya? hes not in school 2day cuz of something super important, but he wont tell me! u guys kno wat it is? or wat happened last nite, cuz i dont remember ANYTHIN! plus, every1 skool keeps lookin me like i did somethin bad! i dont like it! :'( & i didnt c my poor daughter or dat little devil all mornin eithr! ;_;**

**Honey: uh...its a REALLY long and REALLY crazy story, tama-chan! we'll tell u after skool at the club room if dats ok**

**Mori: yea**

**Tamaki: o...uh, k, i guess. i REALLY wanted 2 kno now, but fine, i guess i'll w8...**

**Honey: dats gud! bye bye tama-chan**

**Mori: bye (Honey and Mori logged off. Tamaki logged off.)**

With that, Tamaki, a bit more reassured but unhappy that no one would just tell him everything right there, pocketed his phone as the bell rang. He was not the slightest bit aware of what was going on. Kyoya himself was pretty furious at whoever the punch-spiker was, and of course once Tamaki would find out about it as well and the alledged spiker's motive, everyone was sure to see the flames of hell burning in his eyes once again. Probably was a good idea that no one told him over an IM, where a murder to the next person to give him a certain look with many witnesses around would occur.

* * *

_'Oh man...my head's killing me...I usually never feel this bad when waking up since I don't often get headaches. Well, maybe those induced from being around the guys so much, but still...'_

Once Haruhi was finally awake, she tried her best to sit up in her bed (which was already a hard enough task), but was still sore from last night. Eventually getting up enough to lean up against the bed frame, she relaxed her body as she tried opening her eyes, but that was a chore in itself, and she really didn't get why.

_'Why do I feel so horrible this morning? I mean, it's not like anything insane happened yesterday during club hours...wait a minute...what even happened? Last thing I can remember was after we finished watching Renge-chan's movie, we decided to hang out for a while before going home, but that's it. Did I fall asleep or something? Too weird...'_

Once Haruhi finally got her eyes opened, she began scanning the room she was in. It didn't sink into her head right away where she was at and that it definitely wasn't her bedroom, considering she wasn't exactly thinking straight anyway and had a horrible hangover (which she thought was just a bad headache). She quickly saw a small digital clock on a small table right next to her bed. Her eyes shot right open when she saw that the bright neon numbers on it read 12:48 p.m.

"Oh crap!" she yelled out as she snatched it right off the table to get a better look at it to make sure she wasn't seeing things. "Why the hell didn't it go off? Why didn't dad come to wake me up? Crap, crap, crap, I've already missed over half of the day!"

"Oh man, am I tired...I should've just joined Haruhi in the bed. I'm sure it would've been big enough for both of us...and now I wouldn't feel like a pervert for doing so considering..."

At the sound of a certain male voice, Haruhi froze and any thoughts about being late for school vanished. That was surely not her dad's voice at all, so she hadn't a clue who could've been in her house (where she still believed she was at the moment). She slowly moved the clock out of her face to get a look at the culprit, but she exhaled heavily in relief when she loooked down to see that it was just Hikaru. He was groggily rubbing his eyes and stretching out his arms as he was resting his head on the side of her bed. Haruhi was relieved that it was him instead of some complete stranger, but a huge blush came across her face. He certainly looked quite hot in what of his tuxedo he was still weaing, though she had no clue why he was wearing it. (He had his jacket and bowtie draped across a chair in the corner and his shoes sitting neatly next to it.)

"Uh, Hikaru?" she said quietly as she looked down at him.

He stopped rubbing his eyes and at the sound of her voice, his face immediately lit up and he got right up off the floor in joy, but still worried as hell.

"Haruhi! How are you feeling? Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere? Do you feel lightheaded at all? Oh, just thank God you and akachan are alright!" he squealed excitedly as he grabbed her tightly into a side hug. She just stared up at him in surprise, not grasping the situation _at all_.

"I'm okay, Hikaru. I kind of have a headache, but I'm fine otherwise," she said, obviously somewhat annoyed by his little outburst and billions of questions, but secretly loving being so close to him. "Why? Was there something..."

As he kept on squeezing her (which definitely woke her up completely by now), she began scanning the room again. Her eyes widened when she realized where she was at, and that she was in a hospital gown instead of her usual PJs. Right then and there, she could feel fear boiling up in her.

"Hikaru, let me breathe for a second and tell me what's going on!" she exclaimed fearfully as she slightly pushed him away. He purposely tried to look hurt by that, but she didn't care. "Why am I in the hospital? Did something happen yesterday? Is the baby okay? Pleas don't tell me I miscarried again! I can't even remember what happened yesterday after the movie finished! Did a doctor already check up on me to make sure everything's fine?" she asked, somewhat freaking out (which was unusual for _her _of all people), putting a protective hand over her stomach as she looked down worriedly at it.

"Haruhi, please calm down, that's not good for either of you. And yes, everything's okay with you guys, I promise," Hikaru tried assuring her comfortingly as he calmly grabbed her shoulders. "It's all okay now, things went a bit crazy yesterday, but no one's hurt thankfully. I would've died if something happened. Do you want me to get you something for your head?"

Haruhi looked up at his smiling face and felt better now as he slowly removed his hands from her shoulders, but she panted tiredly, unable to smile herself and still freaked out by everything.

"No, I don't think it'd be good for me to take any sort of drugs, but thank you...okay, I believe you Hikaru, but still, I can't remember anything for some reason..."

As Haruhi tried relaxing more and taking in deep breaths, she looked back down. This time, she saw that there was something on her left hand that she didn't notice earlier. She wasn't sure what it was that she was looking at or feeling, but she removed her hand from her stomach to see what it was. Hikaru raised an eyebrow when he saw her stretching out her fingers to see what she had on her hand. She wasn't sure what seemed so different. All that was on her left ring finger (like the last two months) was the engagement ring Hikaru had given her, or that's what she initially thought until she realized what she was looking at.

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head and her mouth dropped open when she saw the marriage band sitting nicely right underneath the engagement ring. Hikaru saw the look on her face and he mentally slapped himself, now realizing that he had _a lot_ of explaining to do. As he had slapped himself mentally, he absentmindedly did so for real. As Haruhi looked back up at him, she saw a certain gold band on his own ring finger. She wasn't stupid; she could easily put two and two together, but she still wanted to ask just to make sure, and with any luck, it might not have been what she was thinking.

"Hikaru...why do I have this on my finger...and why's that on your finger...?" she asked, her voice shaking tremendously as her fingers became stiff.

"Um...you might want to get comfortable, Haruhi...this isn't exactly the easiest thing to explain..." he said nervously as he carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, seeing the freaked-out expression now on her face. He just prayed that, for akachan's sake, she would at least attempt to keep it together and not freak out...


	24. I Don't Give

(A/N: Oh man, I've been so anxious to write this that I even began it during the school week! But this was _not _easy because it's definitely an intense one [which was why I didn't want to cram too much into it], as will be the next one...I won't say why, but it's probably not very expected, so I hope I pulled it off! It felt so hard to write, despite the fact that I had it all pretty much planned out in my head a long time ago and knew what to include, but still...idk, I just hope it doesn't completely suck.)

* * *

"Are you _absolutely_ sure that it couldn't have _possibly _been beings from the netherworld, who crossed the border between their own world and ours in order to punish Haruhi and Hikaru for any past misdeeds they may have _possibly _done? If so, my club would be more than willing to do an exorcism for you, but I can't guarantee that you'll all still...be _here _in the exact same state, or at _all_, when we finish up with it. Hehehe..."

Honey was tearing up as he clung tightly to Mori and was trembling in fear so much that he dropped his cake-filled fork. Mori just sat in his seat and was...well, himself. Kyoya, resisting the urge to roll his eyes or do anything the littlest bit disrespectful, kept a straight face on as he conversed with his sempai (who was also attending Ouran U with Honey and Mori, but continued partaking in the role of his club's president) and pretended to take diligent notes on what he was saying.

"I'm positive, Nekozawa-sempai, but thank you for your suggestion," Kyoya said, though tired as hell, still trying to seem professional about this instead of just calling him an idiot. "And since you and your other club members who were here yesterday after school are all positive that you didn't see anyone in particular spike the punch, that's more than enough and I thank you for your time from both today and yesterday."

After an exchange of bows, Nekozawa (and Beelzeneff) showed their ways out while Kyoya finished scribbling down whatever on his clipboard before letting out a big sigh and falling right into a chair at the table Honey and Mori were sitting at. Despite all that the young Ootori has done throughout his life, this was one of the most challenging tasks he's ever taken on.

He certainly was not one to enjoy the idea of missing school, especially if it wasn't necessary or unavoidable, but he knew what had to be done. Looking past his cynical, somewhat self-absorbed front, he did love and care for his friends and felt nearly desperate to get to the bottom of all this and get back at the culprit(s) for what he/she/they did, even if said culprit(s) didn't intentionally try harming an unborn baby. After getting maybe four, maybe five hours of sleep the previous night (or morning, since he didn't even get home until two), he loathed getting up early that morning when he knew he wasn't going to school, but he had to fake that he was, of course. Once he was safely in the club room with his trusty laptop and black books, he got to work, trying to find any possible leads. Checking the security cameras, getting Chairman Suoh to pull girls out of class for interrogation, background checks, Facebook and Twitter account checks, fingerprints, and so on. At one point, he tried checking up on Hikaru and Haruhi, but got no response, so he decided that it wouldn't be a bad idea to enlighten a certain (probably worried to death) tranny about his daughter. Ranka obviously freaked out at the words 'drunk' and 'eloped', but Kyoya somehow got him to calm down and decided to end the call _asap_.

By the end of the day and right after his Nekozawa interrogation, he felt like passing out, but the only feeling worse to Kyoya Ootori than exhaustion was, as expected, failure. Obviously, he didn't like the feeling in the least.

"This isn't good, I'm pretty much out of leads now...a whole school day wasted...and for nothing," he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as he almost faceplanted on the surface of the table. Honey looked at him sadly as he resumed eating and though he stayed as expressionless as ever, Mori felt remorseful as well. Well, was there really any reason not to? "I haven't a clue what we're going to do now..."

"What're we doing now, Kyoya? And why do you look like crap?" Kyoya tried not to bark back angrily at his best friend in response just because he was starting to let the stress get to him. He knew how unaware Tamaki was about the whole situation; especially giving it away was the innocent, oblivious look on his face.

Once the last class of the day was over, Tamaki, who was noticeably shaking anxious _all day_to the point where people thought he was having a seizure, bolted right out of his homeroom to the club room. He halted immediately and then slowly entered the room as Nekozawa was exiting, frightening the crap out of the still-easily frightened, superstitious blonde. But after his fear disappeared, he easily saw from across the room how stressed his best friend was looking, and obviously hadn't a clue why.

"Ugh, Tamaki, all day I've been..." Kyoya started as Tamaki took a seat, but quickly paused.

Kyoya, still not looking at the still-inquisitive Tamaki, released the locks of his hair that he was gripping in his stress and his and his two sempai's eyes widened. Tamaki was definitely drunk for most of last night, so of course there was _much_ explaining to be done. How the Shadow King possibly could without upsetting him too much, probably impossible, but unfortunately, had to be done at some point, and the sooner the (maybe) better.

"Um, well, Tamaki..." Kyoya resumed, sitting back up in his seat, taking in a deep breath as Tamaki still just looked at him in curiosity. "Last night, some...interesting things happened at...the party...as you can tell from the partially destroyed club room..." Kyoya held out his hand towards it, which shocked Tamaki to death as he turned to look. "So we're not going to be able to be open for the rest of the term while I get someone to clean that all up...and, well, there's no easy way for me to say this, but..."

Tamaki saw how much Kyoya was trying to resist shaking in his boots (or just shoes) as he reached into his pocket and took out what looked like several Polaroid photos being handed to him. Tamaki willingly took them and stared down at them, not comprehending what exactly he was looking at.

When it hit him, it hit home.

"**THEY GOT MARRIED!**" Kyoya and the other two weren't all that surprised when Tamaki jumped right out of his seat (making it fall over) and began freaking out in a way similar to Ranka's. His eyes were close to falling out of his head as he stared in dramatic agony at them, breaking the sound barrier as he repeated what he just screeched just to make sure he was correct.

"Yeah, we can't believe it either Tama-chan. It's crazy," Honey said quietly, somewhat fearful of his ballistic kohai.

"Yes, that was an unfortunate consequence of the _real _issue at hand, Tamaki, so..." Before Kyoya could finish telling him the rest, he himself felt confused when he saw Tamaki had retreated right to his emo corner. "Uh, Tamaki?"

"I can't believe it...my little girl and boy..." he mumbled quietly in his emo state, fetal position and all. "...they got married...and I was apparently there...and I don't even remember the happiest day of their lives!" At his wailing, the other three all sweatdropped, realizing how much harder this explaining was going to be compared to what they hoped.

"Tamaki, can you _please _focus on the real issue at hand? ...I'm guessing that's a no then. This is going to take a while I guess." Honey and Mori nodded in agreement as Kyoya slapped himself.

* * *

For Hikaru, explaining everything wasn't _nearly _as difficult for him (especially since Haruhi wasn't nearly as moody about it compared to Tamaki), but he clearly saw how caustic each word of enlightenment was on his wife with each one that came out. He didn't leave anything that he had any knowledge of out; he told her everything: her 'proposal', the wedding, the spiked punch (which practically made her burst into tears), which was _immediately _followed by akachan being okay, both of them skipping school that day and being at the hospital, the whole enchilada. By the end of it all, Hikaru had never said "It'll be okay" and given so many comforting hugs and pats on the back so many times in his entire (almost) seventeen years and Haruhi had never been so terrified either. While she was able to breathe once he told her that the doctors confirmed that akachan was completely unharmed, her tears still escaped after he was done and he was still holding her, attempting to stop the tears. He felt his own trying to come out, but he was able to stay strong the entire time.

"Oh my God...this just can't be happening..." Haruhi said tiredly as she lied on the cot, absorbing all this overwhelming information. She stared in agony at the ceiling as Hikaru sat on her bed, avoiding eye contact at the moment as he looked sadly at the floor. "I can't believe it...now we're _actually _married...seriously, what's going on? Why's this happening to me? To us even?" She didn't intend for him to answer that question, which he knew not to, but she just wish so badly that there could've been a real answer.

"I know, Haruhi, it's a whole lotta crap that we're dealing with right now, but I swear on my life that it'll be fine," Hikaru tried to assure her. It was slightly annoying him that she wouldn't lighten up a bit, considering that in his opinion, everything was perfectly fine, but he could kind of understand how much it was for her to allow to sink in.

"...Are you sure Hikaru? You really think so?" she asked quitely, kind of struggling to sit up slowly in the bed, looking at him worriedly and still looking very tired, but a little more relaxed than she had been all day.

Easily sensing the new calmness in her tone, Hikaru looked from the floor back over to her and found himself able to smile at her. He could understand that both of their lives just took _another_ unexpected drastic turn that would _definitely _affect them _forever_, but he didn't see it as bad at all, obviously. Once it was confirmed that no one was hurt, he realized how great this all was and felt confident in everything since this grim discovery of the spiked alcohol.

"I'm positive, Haruhi!" he said confidently, looking her straight in the eye this time and taking her hands, somewhat surprising her suddenly. "I know this is incredibly sudden, but of course it'll be fine! No one's hurt and that's all anyone could ask for, so please don't worry 'cause everything's okay now! It was one little unfortunate incident that led to us...doing something...unexpected..." It still felt weird for him to say that they got married, no matter how happy he was about it. "But don't worry, I swear that it's all okay now!"

Haruhi stared at him kind of wide-eyed, seeing how much confidence and (what seemed almost like) enthusiasm he was brimming with. She almost didn't believe that he felt so sure of himself, considering all the insane stuff that's happened to the both of them in what? Six months now?

Seriously, he lost his brother (his _twin_, with whom he was ridiculously close to) and she lost one of her dearest friends; he went into a deep, month-lasting depression and she was overcome with worry since she had no clue what the hell was up with him for so long; he became an alcoholic and ended up raping her; she ended up getting pregnant with twins; she then ended up miscarrying one and he found out about her pregnancy in the single worst way; after finding out, he went completely out of his way and worked his ass off getting ready while she was bent on adoption, which made her almost sad to watch him being so excited and happy after the longest time; she unintentionally consumed a substantial amount of alcohol, which made him terrified (yet no one did get hurt at least); and to top all that off, the two of them, two second years, got married. Is that enough insane stuff for you?

When Haruhi realized the reality of all this stuff and still saw Hikaru's smiling, assuring face, it made her feel so much better to the point where she wasn't feeling so nervous around the guy she loved anymore. Hikaru himself definitely felt better seeing a small smile come across his own beloved's face.

"Thanks Hikaru...I'm glad that if I had to go through all this stuff, it was with you." She saw how the look on his face was borderlining on cocky after she said that, but she didn't really care, she just thought about how things would now be perfectly okay and that they were both on the exact same page.

That, sadly, was far from the case.

"I'm so glad, Haruhi, now I think we should get out of here," he said as he got off the bed and she nodded as she slowly started getting out of it herself. "Since we have the rest of the day off, I think it'd be a good idea to use this time to move all your stuff in our house now!"

The 'case' (that they weren't on the exact same page) now hit Haruhi _hard _at his statement, and her smile vanished and was replaced by a confused look, which Hikaru was oblivious to.

"Wait, what? What are you talking about, Hikaru?" she asked, halting quickly and falling back onto the cot.

"Since we're officially married now, it'd only be right for us to start living together in my new house now!" he said excitedly as he was putting his shoes on and grabbing his tie and jacket off the chair he spent the night on. "It's all perfect now! We got married before akachan will come and it'll be perfect if we just get completely settled in our house before then! Everything's beyond great now! I can't believe how great it's all working out now! And-"

"Hikaru!" Haruhi interrupted him suddenly. The look of horror that came across her face made him puzzled this time. "Wait a minute! I didn't agree to any of this!"

"But Haruhi, why wouldn't you? Even though it was unexpected and not exactly the ideal wedding, we got married just like we were planning and it's perfect since it was before our baby will be born! And it'd only be right for Mommy and Daddy to live together, right?" he said almost whiny, getting into her face with the puppy eyes.

"But Hikaru...you're actually _happy _we're married now?" Hikaru almost felt his heart shatter at those words, and Haruhi could tell, but this was kind of a serious topic.

"No duh! Why wouldn't I be? I've told you so many times how much I love you and we were going to get married eventually anyway since you accepted my ring! And like I keep saying, it's only right for akachan that his or her own parents are married, so of course I'm ecstatic! Now come on, I'm sure your dad will understand if you move out!"

"**Hikaru!**" Haruhi practically yelled, grabbing his arm and pulling him back over to her on the cot as he was about ready to blast out the door. "I never meant to ever really marry you, and I still want to go with adoption. I'm sorry, but that's how a really feel."

All at once, Hikaru felt like everything just went into slo-mo for a second, then eventually paused, like a DVD. He froze and his eyes widened in shock at her words. It was surely an eye-opener for him, to find out that they weren't on the same page at all, and obviously weren't for a very long time. It killed Haruhi to say that and she could see Hikaru was wearing what was probably a similar pained expression to her own when he unfroze and turned back around to face her. She slowly released his arm as she felt his excited energy begin fading.

"Haruhi...what are you talking about? I thought we had everything sorted out already," he said very quietly as he just fell back onto the bed. Haruhi hated seeing him look so sad after he was just so happy a moment ago, but this was serious now.

"No, Hikaru, _you _had everything sorted out, and I was stupid to not put in my two cents at the appopriate times. Look...Hikaru, this isn't exactly easy for me to say, and I honestly appreciate how hard you've been trying to make everything work out, but I mean...first off, I was drunk when I asked you to get married to me last night. Do you really think I wanted that to happen? For my wedding day to be that rushed and at some cheap chapel with almost none of my friends and family there? Come on, plus I know I accepted your ring, but I never intended for us to really get married...and also, I know how much you've been preparing for when our baby arrives, but...I really don't think we're ready..."

This time, it was Hikaru's heart that shattered further with each word that came out of Haruhi's mouth. He realized at that moment that, like she said, she never exactly agreed with him on any of this, but she also didn't say anything against it. Either way, this killed him and the saddened expression on his face began turning somewhat angry as well as sad. Haruhi could see it and was wearing an unhappy expression on her own face, but she had to tell him now before he went any further with anything else.

"No, Haruhi...you don't mean that...of course you were going to marry me..." he said, somewhat struggling to say anything as he began shaking, tears starting to escape out of his eyes this time. He was now having a harder time looking back at her and went back to staring at the tile below his feet. "You accepted my engagement ring...and yeah, you were drunk, but you still wouldn't have married me if you didn't want to...you could've picked any guy in your drunken state but you picked me...like I wouldn't have raped any other girl but you..." They both realized how bad that sounded, but Haruhi understood what he meant.

"Hikaru...listen, the only reason I accepted it was...so that I wouldn't ruin your family's reputation...it'd be completely destroyed if people found out that you, the Hitachiin heir, was having an illegitimate child with a commoner...I was only doing it to help you, and after I give birth, I think we should get an annulment and-"

"**No! **Haruhi, I don't give a damn about what anyone else thinks!" As he yelled that, he shot right up off the cot, slamming his jacket and tie angrily on the floor, and stared down almost menacingly at his wife, the tears falling right out. "All I need is you and akachan! I don't care if the rest of the world thinks badly of you or me, I just don't! And please take that back! I love you and akachan! I don't want to lose you both! Haruhi, please, this can work!" At this point, Haruhi was feeling her own tears returning as she watched him fall to his knees in desperation. "I can support us and Anne-Sophie-san is still there when we're at school, please! This can work out!"

"Hikaru, what if I don't _want _it this way, did you ever think about that for once? I know you didn't!" Haruhi exclaimed almost angrily at him, trembling as she tried not to cry, but she knew she was right. He never once took what she wanted into consideration when just doing this; he merely assumed. "I love our child so much, and I love and care about you, but I told you, I know the direction I want my life to go into and your selfishness is ruining it all!"

"_Selfishness_? You'd better be kidding me! I'm thinking about what's best for akachan because I love him or her so much too! I wouldn't be doing this if I thought it wasn't the best thing! I can't believe what I'm hearing!"

"Hikaru, we're _sixteen _for crying out loud! I know how much you think you're prepared, but neither of us ever could be at this age! You know what, I can't let you do this, it's just not right. We're giving him or her up for adoption when he or she is born and then we're getting an annulment." After saying those words, Haruhi tried her best to calm down in order to try and get some sense into Hikaru's head; he was certainly still seething with anger though. "Hikaru, I promise you that I think this would be the best thing and everything will be back to exactly the way it was before-"

"No it won't, Haruhi!" Haruhi felt a bit taken aback when he shot back up again, not lightening up at all. "Nothing's every going to be the same ever again! Kaoru will forever be gone and nothing will change that, and now I'm gonna lose my own child as well because _you're _the one being selfish, not me!" Haruhi's mouth fell open at that comment, and she herself definitely felt angry now.

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm not being selfish at all!"

"**Yes you are!** _You _don't wanna keep akachan because it would interfere with school and you getting to go to law school! That seems selfish to me! I would think _you _of all people knows what it's like to not have their mother! And you know what? You're not getting away with any of that! If you dare try to give up akachan, I'll just easily get my parents to adopt him or her themselves and then I can adopt him or her myself legally once I'm eighteen! And don't think I'm gonna sign the annulment papers either, and you know you can't force me! If you're not willing to take care of our own child because you don't want to, I won't hesitate to do it by myself!"

Haruhi, now completely in a state of shock after hearing every one of those words that just came out of his mouth, wasn't able to absorb all of that information quickly enough before he stormed right out of the room and slammed the door shut. She sat there in her bed frozen, still enough to be dead, until her head could absorb all that. Once it did, it felt like several heavy bricks. Naturally, the sobs came easily as she held her head in her hands.

_'I'm not being selfish...I do want to be married to you...and I do want to keep him or her and live happily ever after with you guys...do you think this isn't killing me, Hikaru? I love you both so much and I thought I had everything planned out too...but now...I don't know anything anymore...'_

Haruhi Hitachiin (neé Fujioka), number one in the second year class, hadn't a clue what to believe what was right anymore.


	25. He Wasn't

(A/N: Yikes, that last one was intense and kinda depressing...and I apologize, but I've been waiting forever to do that one! Intense ones are fun and easier for me to write! I'm honestly a bit surprised that so many more of you guys are on Hikaru's side; personally, I'm trying to stay neutral and making it seem as if they're both right and wrong at the same time, but to each his own. Alrighty then, I actually started this one not long after I posted the last one because I felt that anxious! So please enjoy...I hope...I swear, it's not even close to being as miserable as the last one...I think.

Oh yeah, had anyone else read the ending yet? To my surprise, I did actually like it for the most part [for the MOST part], but I won't spoil anything if you don't know about it yet, I swear!)

* * *

"Where are we going, Takashi? We barely trained at all once we got to the dojo, and it's not like you to ever answer your phone in the middle of training, though I can't say I'm upset that we're going out for cake! I'm so excited!" Honey's smile quickly spread across his face and was on the verge of drooling at the thought of his precious vice while he and Mori, neither of whom bothered to change into regular clothes, began walking from the dojo over to a nearby bakery.

"I had gotten a text from Haruhi. She asked if we could meet with her as soon as possible. She must have been discharged earlier today," Mori said as they walked on. Haruhi's text had somewhat bugged him; something had to have been up for her to ask them to meet up somewhere to talk, though considering that she just got married (unintentionally for that matter), it wouldn't exactly strike someone as weird that something would be on her mind.

"That's good then! I just hope akachan's okay after what happened, but I'm sure that they're both alright and that everything's okay!" Honey said, a hint of hope mixed in with his usual cheerful demeanor as he smiled up at his cousin.

"I do as well, Mitsukuni."

Honey nodded excitedly in response. The two of them were at the bakery soon after and saw no sign of Haruhi, so Honey didn't hesitate at all to run up to the glass to press his face against it in order to get the best view of everything the place had to offer. Once Mori snatched him away from it to keep him from making a mess with his saliva, Honey was able to get him to buy him what was probably the _biggest_ multi-layer cake in the country, let alone the bakery. Who cares how much the guy brushes? It's amazing he _doesn't_ have a mouth full of wooden teeth (or whatever dentists or anyone else uses anymore) by now.

The couple of people in the building temporarily stared in shock at the little boy devouring the enormous cake, including Mori, but it was his usual indifferent look in his eyes that he always kept on Honey. It was always a mystery to everyone as to what was going on in his head, especially since he barely verbalized whatever it was. At this moment, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out what he was thinking about. As he was thinking what he was thinking, Mori took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the text he had received not even a half hour ago from a certain tanuki (though she arguably might not be one anymore considering her new relationship status).

**hey, im sry 4 buggin u, but i just wanted 2 let u guys kno that the baby and i r both fine now. & if its ok, i really need sum1 2 talk 2 rite now...can we meet up the bakery near ur guys' dojo?**

During practice, Mori would usually never, and seriously _never_, stop for anything, but he wouldn't hesitate to drop everything the second he heard her ringtone. After rushing over to his bag to check her text, he instantly, with his good intuition, sensed that there was something wrong. It wasn't the fact that she had just eloped, or ended up unintentionally endangering her child's life, and it couldn't have been the fact that the Hitachiin name had ended up being disgraced (since Kyoya hadn't contacted them since the night before and Mori doubted that either of them had checked their phones for any news anytime soon); it was definitely something else. To Honey's surprise, he insisted that they stop practice for a bit to meet up with her. Anything involving cake and Haru-chan always sounded good to Honey.

Mori continued keeping his eye on Honey and wiped frosting off his face every now and then as they waited. He didn't think that they'd be waiting for so long, and Honey barely noticed as he indulged. Mori figured not to worry. She would've only gotten discharged from the hospital today anyway. He knew it wasn't a big deal. And speak of the devil...

"Oh man, hey guys. I'm so sorry I was late." Mori dropped his gaze from Honey and Honey's followed along over at the front door. Honey's already wide smile only expanded at the site of a panting Haruhi, who had changed out of her hospital gown and into a casual sleeveless light red maternity dress (yet another Hikaru original). "Once I got home from the hospital, it took me a longer time than I thought to shower and get changed, plus I had really wanted to call someone to get my homework for today, so-"

Before Haruhi could finish her sentence or even make her way over to the table to sit down, Honey abadoned his cake (**shock and amazement to the extreme**) to run over to her and hug/glom onto her in his ecstacy. She yelped loudly in surprise as he nearly brought her to the floor.

"Haru-chan!" Honey exclaimed, still latching onto her arm tightly. She felt a bit dizzy after he spun her around a couple times, similar to the first episode. He smiled brightly at her as she regained awareness of what was happening around her. "We were all so worried about you, but Takashi and I and I bet everyone else are glad that you're okay! And we're really, _really_ glad that you're okay too, akachan! I just know you're gonna look so cute when you're born!" Once she completely regained consciousness, she looked down at Honey to see him hugging her not too tightly and smiled down at him.

"Thanks, Honey-sempai, we're both perfectly fine, thank you," she said just as Mori walked over and carefully removed Honey from her, which made puzzled looks come across their faces.

"Be careful, Mitsukuni. Don't launch yourself at her too aggressively anymore until after she gives birth, okay?" he said firmly as he set his cousin down, who sadly nodded his head vigorously.

"Haru-chan, if it's okay, I have a question," Honey said curiously after Haruhi got something to drink and the three of them finally sat down; Honey had resumed eating his mountain of cake, which Haruhi wasn't surprised to see in the least unlike everyone else.

"Sure, what is it, Honey-sempai?" Had Haruhi known what he was about to ask, she probably wouldn't have said sure to it.

"Well...Takashi told me all the stuff about how a baby is made already." Haruhi froze in shock at that statement and Mori, though looking collected on the outside, was worrying to death about what Honey was going to ask; he just prayed that no one else in the building could hear them. "You know, like when the mommy and daddy show each other how much they love each other by doing some weird love ritual, and then the baby is made and stays in the mommy's tummy for nine months before he or she is big enough to be born, right?"

Though thankfully not too noticeably, beads of sweat were quickly running down Haruhi and Mori's skin, going faster with every word that came out of Honey's mouth. The boy lolita just looked at them curiously as he waited for an answer, still having yet to learn about what a...questionable topic this was to discuss in such a public place. Not to mention that even though he was supposedly seventeen, it still felt inappropriate for both of them to talk about this with him.

"Yeah, that's correct, Honey-sempai..." Haruhi said hesitatingly, trying to rid of the knot in her throat. Mori wasn't feeling anymore comfortable, but wasn't really going to say anything that would make Honey wonder anymore about this subject than he already was.

"Well, once the mommy goes into labor and gives birth, where does the baby come out of? Takashi said he had no clue! And I definitely have no clue how a baby, especially a bigger one, could _possibly_ come out of-"

"Mitsukuni, she can tell you later, but right now, something's bothering her, right Haruhi?" Mori asked _very_ hastily in order to get away from the question. Haruhi was on the verge of evaporating into the air out of shock at what her sempai was asking her, but she let out a sigh of relief at Mori's words.

"Yeah, there is, Mori-sempai," Haruhi said quietly as she looked downwards, her look of shock being replaced by one of distress. Similar ones came upon Honey's and Mori's when they saw so. "I really just needed to talk, preferrably to someone who will tell me the truth and isn't too judgmental..."

"Aw, what is it Haru-chan? You to tell me and Takashi anything," Honey said as his cake-eating slowed down. Mori grunted in reply.

"Well, uh, I really don't know how to put this, but, um...would you guys say that I'm...selfish?" Honey's eating came to a grinding halt and his fork clinked as it hit his plate of cake. His and Mori's eyes widened; not exactly the thing they'd expect for Haruhi to ever ask.

"What! No way, Haru-chan! You always think about others!" Honey said, taking Haruhi slightly by surprise that he answered so quickly and looked almost like he was tearing up. "You always worry and care about me and Takashi and Hika-chan and Tama-chan and even Kyo-chan once in a while, and you definitely always cared about Kao-chan too! You were the first one to be concerned about me eating too much cake and getting cavities, and when I went missing at Kyo-chan's water park! That's part of why we love you, Haru-chan! Don't believe for one minute that you're a selfish person!"

"I completely agree," Mori said sternly. "Did someone tell that to you, Haruhi?" At his comment, the other two were taken aback yet again, but mainly Haruhi. She knew that Mori was always smarter than most would take the silent one for, but that was quick. "I can tell. Who was it that had the nerve to say such a thing?"

"Well, thanks guys, that's nice of you to say. Well..." Haruhi strained to give them a small smile, but they continued to look sadly towards her, easily telling how much this was getting to her. "This morning at the hospital...I woke up and found Hikaru sleeping in a chair in my room. It touched me so much that he stayed the night and even skipped school to make sure I was alright, but it didn't take too long for me to notice _this_ on my finger."

Haruhi sighed as she held up her left hand, her wedding ring glistening brightly. Honey, still not comprehending the severity of everything going on, looked at it in complete awe. Mori silently acknowledged it, but not as positively as Honey.

"So then Hikaru went on to explain everything that had gone on, from the spiked punch to the eloping to the hospital rush and everything in between," she continued as she gently put her arm back down on the table. "But I still feel horrible...it's a miracle that despite all that I drank, nothing bad ended up happening to me or akachan...but Hikaru was so comforting. He assured me that everything would be alright and that he's always here for me...and I actually believed him.

"For a moment, I thought he was right and that everything would be fine, but then...we kind of started arguing...I mean, there was the time at Karuizawa where we kind of had a face-off after he insulted Arai-kun, but this was probably the first time he and I _really _fought and argued. He kind of assumed that I was okay with staying married and even though I never told him I agreed to it, that we're also keeping our baby..."

"Haru-chan, I'm confused," Honey suddenly interrupted, a puzzled look returning to his face. "I don't get it. If you and Hika-chan are akachan's parents, why wouldn't you keep him or her anyway?" At Honey's question, Haruhi almost felt like crying right in front of them. She knew he was childish and didn't completely comprehend certain things that he probably should, but still. "I mean, isn't that how it usually words out? After the baby's born, the mommy and daddy take him or her home to raise and love forever and ever?"

"Mitsukuni, you need to understand something," Mori intervened before Honey could continue and before Haruhi's heart could break any farther. "Because they're so young and still in high school, Haruhi doesn't believe that she and Hikaru aren't ready to be parents yet, so Haruhi thinks that giving the baby up to a couple that would be better parents would be the best thing to do. It's not that uncommon for others their age to do so, and remember, this whole thing was completely unexpected in the first place. "

"Oh, I think I get it...I'm sorry, Haru-chan," Honey apologized as he stuck his fork in his mouth sadly to keep quiet.

"It's okay, Honey-sempai," she responded quietly as she wiped off the tears that were on the verge of falling out. "But anyway, well...I don't remember everything exactly, considering I would prefer to block the whole thing out of my memory, but...he began yelling and getting angry, and I began doing so back. Somewhere in all that yelling, we both kind of called each other selfish and he went as far as bringing my mother into it and I tried to explain how I didn't want to ruin his life or family's reputatoin...then in the end, he pretty much got his way and there's no way for me to do anything now, and he left before I could fight back..." Honey and Mori could clearly see the tears beginning to form in her eyes and hear her voice begin to shake, no matter how much she tried to hide it. They could tell that she obviously was unaware of the recently released article, but decided to keep quiet about it for now.

"I didn't mean to make him so upset and in all honesty...I...I...actually like the idea of us staying married and raising our baby together, but...it's just not right to me...this wasn't how anything was meant to happen!" She didn't bother holding back her sobs this time and held her head in distress as she tried choking out her words. "Nothing over these past several months was supposed to happen at all! Kaoru shouldn't have died, Hikaru shouldn't have begun drinking, he shouldn't have raped me, I shouldn't have gotten pregnant, I shouldn't have miscarried, Hikaru and I shouldn't have gotten married, and I _definitely_ know I wasn't supposed to have fallen in love with him! It all just seems wrong and Hikaru was right, nothing will ever be the same again..."

"Aw, I'm so sorry, Haru-chan," Honey said comfortingly as he got out of his seat to go over to hug Haruhi. "I can't imagine how stressful this all is, but I know it'll all be okay, and Takashi and I are always here, and so will Tama-chan and Kyo-chan too."

"It's true, Haruhi, we'll be here," Mori said, very slight more emotion in his voice than usual, that and Honey's hug being enough for Haruhi's waterworks to slow down and somewhat smile again.

"...Thank you guys...I can't thank you enough for putting up with me," she said quietly as she hugged Honey back and gave a reassured look at Mori. After making sure she was alright, Honey let go and went to buy more cake, leaving to two alone for a moment. "The thing is...I know that Hikaru can support us all for our entire lives and that he'd try his hardest to be a good dad, but still...I mean, he's still pretty immature and emotionally, I don't know if he could handle it, or if he really realizes how hard it would be. I know there are people out there that would be just as loving and probably better parents anyway. Plus, I know he thinks I'm being selfish for preferring to continue schooling instead of staying at home to take care of akachan, but I'm not used to the idea of just suddenly getting everything I want for nothing. I'd feel better if I really worked for what I get instead of just having my..._husband_ give it all to me on a silver platter, but he wouldn't listen or try to understand my point of view. I'm trying my best just to understand his. He doesn't realize how drastically different this whole situation would be if he wasn't filthy rich. I bet that he wouldn't be so confident about being a parent if he wasn't..."

"Hmm...I can understand where Hikaru is coming from, but you're right about some things. He really doesn't seem to get that it's not as easy as he might think this is, and the fact that he didn't really consider what you want is somewhat selfish in itself, and he really shouldn't be trying to trap you like he is now. Listen," Mori said as he gently placed his hand on Haruhi's shoulder, which slightly surprised her. "I have an idea on how to prove to him if what he wants is really the best thing for you guys and your child."

For the first time all day, Mori actually smiled. That was enough indication to Haruhi that he had a good idea.

"Thank you, Mori-sempai."

* * *

_'Hmph! Stupid Haruhi trying to ruin everything! She obviously forgot that she said I could prove to her that I would make this work, or maybe she has unreasonable expectations. Either way, I can't believe her! All she cares about is work and nothing else! Not ever our own child is apparently important enough to her! Well screw all that, we're staying married and keeping akachan no matter what, _then_ she'll see how wrong she was all this time and that it really is the best thing.'_ Hikaru thought this angrily to himself as he lay on his bed, playing his DS, blowing off the work one of his classmates dropped off for him.

Once he had stormed out of the hospital room, he stood right outside the door to take in all that had just gone on between him and his wife. Not exactly the most pleasant conversation, if it could even be called a conversation. Similar to her, he felt like sobbing afterwards himself, but he got over it quick and called a limo to pick him up and just take him right home. Once he arrived to his family's mansion, he retreated right to his room and broke out the video games to cool off a bit, but he was still peeved at Haruhi and couldn't have cared less at the moment about her well-being for once.

Once he got his seventh gym badge in his game, he saved, turned it off, and placed it on his nightstand. He let out a big sigh and rolled onto his back so he could stare at his room's ceiling, his hands behind his head. After staring at it blankly without a thought for some time, he rolled over so he was facing his nightstand, where his blank expression turned to one of sadness when he saw the one picture of just him and Kaoru. He struggled to reach over and grab it off of the nightstand, then holding it up in the air to look at it for a moment.

"Oh, Kaoru...why can't you be here when I need to talk with you the most? Well...okay, I wouldn't really need to talk to you if you actually were here 'cause then none of this would be happening, but still...ugh, why can't communicating with the dead be possible?" As he said this frustratingly to himself, he yawned and stretched out his arms, putting the picture down on the pillow next to the one he was laying his head on. "Dammit...I _still_ can't believe any of this...I wish Haruhi was right, that everything could just be back to the way it was before...before..."

Before Hikaru could finish his sentence, he was out like a light.

* * *

_"God, I feel so tired...yeah, all of this is stressing me out, but it's not exactly like I did anything strenuous yesterday...well, other than argue with Haruhi, but come on, I slept for like, fourteen hours," Hikaru muttered to himself tiredly as he dragged himself out of his classroom and over to the clubroom as the school day ended. As something occurred to him, he halted and his eyes shot wide open. "Wait a minute, did we even have class? And I don't even remember getting out of bed this morning. I must be losing it..."_

_He said this to himself depressingly as he finally got to the third music room. When he opened the door, he wasn't surprised at all to see what was in front of him: Tamaki and Kyoya talking over at one table with Kyoya doing something rapidly on his laptop and Honey and Mori at another table with Honey eating triple his weight in cake. Yeah, nothing really new here. Except..._

_"Honey-sempai? Mori-sempai? Why are you guys wearing Ouran uniforms?" he asked them as he approached their table. The two of them looked over at him and Honey, a confused look coming upon his face, stopped eating. They could see how surprised he looked at them, but didn't really get what was up._

_"Because we're students her, silly Hika-chan!" Honey laughed just before he resumed eating._

_"Yeah."_

_"...O-kay..." At their responses, he nervously backed away, but ended up bumping right into Haruhi, who exclaimed in surprise as she fell over and dropped the tray of cups she was holding. The shattered glass went everywhere, and Kyoya didn't fail to notice so._

_"Haruhi, that an addition to your already large debt to us," Kyoya said almost evilly as he took out his little black book and scribbled something into it. This shocked Hikaru as well. If he remembered correctly (which he doesn't always do), Haruhi wasn't supposed to have anymore debts on her, ever since that day Hikaru blew up at his greedy sempai about it and got Haruhi home free forever from Kyoya's clutches._

_"Ugh, fine, Kyoya-sempai, but it was an accident," Haruhi grumbled as she got up to her knees to carefully pick up each piece of broken glass on the floor._

_"Ugh, here, let me help you with that, Haruhi, though I'm still mad at you," Hikaru said as he got down on his own knees to pick up the pieces, doing his best to make the irritation in his voice obvious to her. It was clearly obvious to everyone in the room, as they all turned their heads his way curiously, including Haruhi._

_"What? What'd I do, Hikaru? I'm sorry for whatever it was, but I have no clue what you're talking about," Haruhi said somewhat sincerely as she paused for a minute, but hadn't a clue as to what Hikaru could've been referring to as she looked at him angrily picking up the pieces and putting them on the tray._

_"Don't act dumb, Haruhi," Hikaru said antipathetically, which kind of insulted Haruhi, but she let him continue. "Remember yesterday? That little argument we had about aka-" _

_Before Hikaru was going to finish, his mouth dropped open when he finally brought himself to make eye contact with Haruhi as they were still kneeling on the floor. She was wearing the guys uniform just like she would always used to, and there were no visible ways to tell that she was at all pregnant. He also saw that she wasn't wearing any rings on any of her fingers either._

_"I think you just might need some sleep, Hikaru," she said flatly as he still stared at her in shock. "By the way, Kaoru said that once you got here to meet him in the changing rooms to talk about something really important," she said casually as she got up and began carrying the tray of broken glass to wherever. _

_"...What...?" was all that came out of Hikaru's mouth for some time once everyone resumed to whatever they were doing._

_"Weren't you listening, Hikaru? Kaoru's waiting for you in-aah!" Hikaru quickly cut off Tamaki, who walked over to him to help him off the floor, and blasted over into the dressing rooms, not caring if he knocked over his sempai in the process._

'No, it's not possible...sure, all this weirdness is happening, but...it's impossible!' _Hikaru thought to himself as he was blasting through the doors that led to the dressing rooms in the back of the club room. _'No, they're lying, trying to mess with me as a cruel joke! Well, okay, they'd never do something _that _mean, but...just...it can't-'

_Once Hikaru slammed the doors to the room open, his thoughts came to an end as he stared at a certain someone who looked almost identical to himself who was sitting casually at the table in the center of the room, smiling at him. Hikaru just froze as he stared back, the tears about to flood out like a tsunami._

_"Hey, Hikaru. It's been quite a few months now, huh?"_


	26. Everything Back But You

(A/N: _Yippee! _I'm now at 200+ reviews and got more reviews than ever before for the last chappie! Very happy right now! :D Now moving on...I should probably be doing something else right now, but I really wanna do the talk between Hikaru and Kaoru so badly! Personally, I think it sucks and should've been better considering what a big deal it is, but this was what I was able to come up with [and the end of the dream was especially hard to write, and you'll see why]. I'm very sorry you guys!

Also, as of right now, I have revised the first chapter, so it's about five hundred words longer now, but I didn't change the actual story content, so you don't need to re-read it to understand anything coming up. I'll be looking over most of the chapters soon as well. )

* * *

_"...Kaoru...? Is it really...?...No...it can't be...but you're...and...oh my God..." was all that Hikaru could stutter as he stood there almost lifelessly, staring widely in his petrification with his mouth slightly open at whom he believed was his deceased brother, but to him, it just couldn't have been. That's all he could register in his mind as he stood there, the tears on the verge of coming out and flooding the entire room._

_"You're such a doofus sometimes, Hikaru. Of course it's me, now come here," Kaoru chuckled as he got up out of his seat at the table and held his arms out warmly, smiling brightly at his brother._

_Despite Kaoru's invite, Hikaru was still in too much shock to do, say, or even really think anything. The last few months he had just gone through, torturous at times obviously, were the first ever that he lived through alone. Not literally, but in the sense that the one person who was with him and stayed by his side since forever was actually gone...for good, and in Hikaru's mind, it was all his fault to begin with. But now...that was out the window, because Kaoru was right there in the flesh. Hikaru wanted so badly to believe that this was true, but it just wouldn't sink in._

_Hikaru had yet to move an inch, other than the occasional trembling, which made the tears quickly forming in his eyes run down his face. Kaoru's smile didn't falter once as he waited for him to do something. He, and probably anyone else the slightest bit enlightened about the situation, realized how much this was to take in, so all he could do was wait for him to do anything at this point._

_Eventually, the fact that Kaoru, his _dead_ twin brother, was standing right there in front of him in plain sight did sink into Hikaru's head. Once it did, his instinct told him to do only what one would expect:_

_He sprinted as fast as he could into Kaoru's arms and wrapped his own tightly around him, then he let all the tears he was holding in out as he cried loudly into Kaoru's shoulder. In response, Kaoru just quietly embraced him as he kept his look of contentedness on, not saying anything about his damp sleeve._

_"Kaoru, I miss you so much, but you're here now! I just can't believe it! Please, I'm begging you, don't leave me again!" Hikaru exclaimed tearfully. Though his yells were muffled by his sobs, Kaoru didn't need them to be clear to figure out what he was saying. He could almost feel his own tears forming as he comforted him. "I love you so much and I'm sorry for drinking and doing so much to let you down, but I need you! Please stay and don't ever leave me again!"_

_"Oh, Hikaru, it'll be okay, I promise," Kaoru tried assuring him, but he wasn't exactly surprised to find him crying into his shoulder for a while more before he began to calm down a little bit. _

_"I know, Kaoru, you're right..." Hikaru said quietly as his tears began to subside and he stopped shaking so hard. "But now that you're here, everything's gonna be okay!" Kaoru frowned at that statement. Obviously, his brother didn't realize what was going on. "Everything will finally be perfect now! I need your help _so_ badly with all the stuff going on!"_

_"Um, I really hate to break it to ya, Hikaru, but as you could probably tell by everything that's going on in the club room...this is...kinda...not real."_

_In all honesty, Kaoru, who knew he had to just get that over with, was now expecting his brother to let go of him, look at him sadly, and begin sobbing ever harder in realization. He prepared himself to be holding him again for a while. Instead, Hikaru did in fact let go, but Kaoru looked at him confused when he saw the slightly pissed off look on Hikaru's face instead._

_"And you're reminding me because...?" he said very flatly with a hint of irritation. Kaoru's expression just turned to one of shock. So much for being completely unaware with what was going on. How his brother ceased to amaze him. But getting over that..._

_"Um...I'm...sorry...Hika..." Kaoru apologized quietly, but his expression soon turned grim. "But anyway, how about we sit down and chat before you wake up now? I know you probably have a lot of questions at this point."_

_Abiding to his brother's suggestion, Hikaru hesitatingly took a seat at the little table with him and let out a big sigh as he rested his head on top of his arms. Did he have a ton of questions? Um, no duh. But for a second before he wanted to say anything, he just rested there, looking up at his brother, whose expression softened as he smiled at him. Even if this was all just some (absolutely wonderful) dream, this was the closest he would probably ever get to being with Kaoru ever again, so he tried savoring the moment of silence as best he could, looking up at him sadly. Kaoru could tell, but allowed his poor twin to take his time. Hikaru let out another tired-sounding sigh._

_"Uh, kinda...well...this might sound retarded, but...why is everything in this dream so...normal? Don't get why I would just be dreaming of the host club back when everything was normal. Kinda dull to me, since most of my dreams usually involve Tono evolving into an Entei and Kyoya-sempai riding him while cosplaying as Indiana Jones and with a whip in hand all to way to Nigeria, which was pretty much how my last one went," he said tiredly, sounding completely serious about that. Just like him to easily get bored. Kaoru just stared at him for a second in disbelief._

_"...Okay...well, one, never knew your dreams were _that _out there. And two, well...think about it. If I were still here, why would anything have changed from this at all? I bet this is pretty much how everything would've been right after our winter break had I not died, right?" Kaoru responded, his innocent-looking grin disappearing a hint of sadness obvious in his voice. Hikaru's eyes slightly widened, but they contracted back quickly. Of course that was it exactly, but with all that had been going on, would he really have thought about it? _

_"I guess...if I really thought about it..."_

_"Well, think about it now, Hikaru, which I know might be a challenge for you..." Hikaru briefly glared at his brother at that statement, though he could tell Kaoru was half joking, half serious with that comment. "I would still be here like I am now, the host club would be going on as usual, Kyoya-sempai would still be acting like an arrogant smart alec who's always trying to impose debts on Haruhi, you wouldn't have missed all of the school you did, you wouldn't have become a drunk and raped Haruhi, she obviously wouldn't be pregnant, Tono wouldn't be as cool about you wanting her, you and Haruhi wouldn't be married, everything would be just as it was, and the host club's world wouldn't have turned back into a pumpkin...isn't that crazy? How one little event triggered so much stuff to happen?"_

_Hikaru took a moment to let his mind absorb all of that, and he slowly lifted his head off the table, the somewhat shocked look coming back upon his face; this time, it was mixed with much more distress though. Kaoru was dead on. Hikaru couldn't believe it, how different everything would really be had his twin not passed away. Prime example of the butterfly effect (expect that someone dying would be much more significant than a butterfly flapping its wings, but that was another story for another day). _

_Hikaru pondered this for a bit before wanting to say anything. He held his head with his hands as he did so, absorbing all that has happened in the last several months. No matter how many times he had done so, it just wouldn't completely stick for some reason. Probably because it was all just so surreal for anyone to be going through, but still. He and Kaoru both realized that what the former normal was (which in their minds, should be the normal now) was forever gone for good no matter what, and it was all just because of one little water skiing accident. At this thought, Hikaru's tears were on the verge of coming back._

_"Yeah...that is kinda crazy..." he replied nearly inaudibly, his voice slightly trembling, but he was able to keep his composure better this time. Kaoru just kept a concerned gaze on him as he spoke. "Oh, Kaoru...I just wish that I could take that all back...that I watched out for those rocks instead of letting my jealousy take over me...I'm still sorry, but now...I just wish that we could have things back to how they are in this dream, when it was all perfect, just like what Haruhi has been trying to make happen..." Hikaru looked down at the table, almost in agony, as he said this, not entirely realizing what having everything back to normal would mean._

_"But Hikaru, at the same time, you should be careful what you wish for. Sure, what happened was terrible and brought about some bad consequences and our lives before were awesome, but then all that has happened since would be gone. You and the host club wouldn't be as close as together as you are now. Haven't you noticed how much they've been trying to help you guys? And also, if things were back to how they were, my niece or nephew wouldn't even exist right now."_

_At that particular statement, Hikaru's mouth fell open and he suddenly dropped his hands, which caused him to just drop his head back on top of the table. His breathing became laborious as his brain took some time to absorb that fact too. Kaoru was right, and Hikaru had known for a while that it was true: akachan wouldn't even exist if Kaoru had never died. Obviously, that was a depressing fact to Hikaru, considering how much he loved both of them. He began trembling again as he held his tears back. Kaoru didn't need to see his face to know how this had to have been killing him._

_"Oh God...why does the universe seem to hate me, Kaoru? Why can't I have both you _and _akachan...? Why is God making me choose who I love more...? Just what the hell has happened? ...Just...__**dammit!**__" _

_Kaoru, after telling Hikaru to be careful what to wish for, simply waited for him to respond. He wasn't taken aback at all when he saw Hikaru begin to stress a little (or a _lot_)__ over the fact, but he gasped and nearly fell back in his seat in shock as he saw Hikaru jump right out of his own chair, violently wipe the vase right off the table, therefore making it shatter as it hit the wall, and cause his arm to begin bleeding heavily through the jacket sleeve, all after he dramatically damned the universe. The pain overtaking his arm, Hikaru cringed at his limb in horror and feel to his knees as he held onto his arm tightly, the blood caked all over it. _

_Kaoru couldn't believe it. Hikaru always seemed to have a way of acting out when he was feeling emotional, but that was the worst Kaoru had ever seen._

_"Hikaru!" he exclaimed as he got out of his chair and ran over to the other side of the table as quickly as he could. He kneeled down to his injured brother's level in attempt to aid him. "What the hell did you do that for? We have to call an ambulance asap!"_

_"Kaoru, don't bother. This is a dream after all, right?" Hikaru said, suddenly calming down and acting completley nonchalant about his arm._

_"Well...I guess, but still, what the hell, Hikaru! Don't scare me like that! I know how much this must be killing you, but stop doing things you know you'll regret that could hurt you! And look...please realize that there's no choosing involved with this. I love you so much and I love my future niece or nephew, but...I'm not coming back. I wish I could be there for you guys, but...we both no that's not an option. But please, don't make yourself miserable like you are right now." _

_Hikaru turned his attention away from his bloody limb and saw the genuine sorrow in Kaoru's eyes. His anger diminished and was replaced by his own (now normal) sorrow as he saw how concerned his twin was looking at him. That was something he knew would never change and that not even death would stop. Hikaru turned his head away and frowned down at the dripping blood, hating seeing Kaoru look so sad._

_"I know...and I'm sorry for that too, Kaoru. I can't seem to do anything right. But...it's just not fair. I love you, and I love my son or daughter, and...I love Haruhi. But still...nothing's going right anymore. Everything could finally be better than it's been, even if you're not a part of it, but she's being so difficult and driving me nuts." Hikaru groaned as he tried soothing his temple, starting to feel sore from all of this._

_"Well, she's just like you, bro. She wants everything back to the way it used to be as much as possible. You can't blame her for that." _

_Kaoru said this as he sat right down on the floor, putting a hand comfortingly on Hikaru's shoulder. Being as stubborn as he was, Hikaru, getting over his sorrow for the moment, again, huffed and turned back away from Kaoru deliberately. Kaoru was unphased by his brother's usual immaturity._

_"Yeah, but she's being a self-centered workaholic at this point. Everything would work out just fine, but _no_, she just _has_ to have things be normal again, so apparently we just _have _to get an annulment and just _have _to give akachan up for adoption! She doesn't realize how stupid _she _acts sometimes." Kaoru snickered at how childish Hikaru was being, which, again, wasn't anything new._

_"Man, Hika, I'll admit that you've matured a lot since half a year ago, but you'll always be you, I guess," Kaoru said as he began smiling again. "Look, I get where you're coming from, okay? You love Haruhi and your guys' baby, Mom and Dad have more than enough money to support you guys, and you'll both still be able to go on with school and the host club and any other crap. But at the same time, have you really tried looking at it from Haruhi's point of view? And I mean _really_ looking?" _

_Hikaru's pissed expression somewhat softened, which Kaoru could tell, even if Hikaru refused to face him at the moment. But still, he didn't say anything in response. He still didn't want to admit that he wasn't completely right about everything._

_"I'll take that as a no then. But Hikaru, maybe you should, especially if you really love her as much as you do, and I know you do. How do you know for sure that what she thinks is the best thing for you guys to do is total BS? How would you know it's not if you haven't tried to see things the way she does?"_

_After avoiding eye contact for a while, Hikaru turned to look over at Kaoru, but simply only to sneer at him._

_"Do _not _tell me you're taking her side, Kaoru," Hikaru growled at him as he continued narrowing his eyes in Kaoru's direction._

_"I'm not saying that at all, Hikaru, honest, but come on. Whether you guys keep akachan or not, you'll still always be his or her real otousan, so as an otousan, don't you think it's about time you truly grow up for once and act maturely about this? I mean, unless you find something completely wrong or even immoral about what Haruhi thinks about all this, you shouldn't block out what she says, 'cause it doesn't seem like BS to me. But most importantly of all, probably, has she ever even told you she loves you?" _

_Hikaru's expression softened more, this time to where he was looking kind of saddened again. He didn't want to admit it, but once again, his brother was acting as the smarter and more rational of the two. It was true; Haruhi never said straightforward that she shared his feelings of love towards her for him. Of course she had told him all the time about how much she cares about him, or loves him and the rest of the host club, but never just the three words directly to him. In that case, no wonder she wouldn't want to stay married, even if they did have a child together. _

_Hikaru looked down slowly at the floor again. At this realization, that the girl he loves and is married to and even conceived _two_ babies with, might not even love him back. He didn't hold back the tears this time._

_"Geez, Kaoru, why do you have to be so smart all the time?" Hikaru asked as he wiped his tears with his right arm (the clean one), trying to sound somewhat obnoxious, but his voice shook as he spoke._

_"Aw, come here, bro," Kaoru said smiling as he held his arms out. Hikaru didn't hesitate to go into them and wrap his one good arm around him, or begin crying into his shoulder again, but not as heavily. "Look, I just know that everything will be okay, Hikaru. You and Haruhi will know what to do for sure when the time comes, I just know it. I promise you that and I mean it, okay?" Kaoru was satisfied when he heard a muffled okay and felt Hikaru trying to nod as he kept weeping. Kaoru then thought of something. "Oh yeah, I know something that should make you feel better!"_

_At that realization, they both slowly let go of each other and Kaoru helped Hikaru up off the floor after getting up himself. Kaoru smiled and looked even more optimistic than ever, looking towards the door leading into the dressing room. Hikaru wiped the last of his tears as he followed Kaoru gaze towards the door. He felt somewhat impatient (as usual) as it began opening slowly. Once the person opening it entered, Hikaru froze in complete and utter shock at who it was._

_"...K...Kotoko-san?" The woman, having long black hair tied up and the friendliest smile, approached her son-in-law slowly after carefully closing the door behind her. Kaoru was obviously enjoying the moment a lot. _

_Hikaru had seen pictures of her before and knew from Haruhi was a spectacular woman she was, but this was the craziest thing of all, meeting her. He felt almost intimidated as she stopped in front of him. She lightly giggled as he stuttered, trying to greet her further, but he was obviously too surprised to utter anything else. He was also curious as to what was in the blanket she was holding so carefully in her arms, but he barely paid any attention to it for the time being. It was just amazing to be seeing her in the flesh._

_"It's wonderful to finally be meeting you, Hikaru," she began. "Your brother is right, that everything will end up okay for you guys. I have faith in you and my daughter, I just know that you guys will make the right decision and do what's best for my grandchild."_

_"Thank you so much, Kotoko-san...it's a pleasure to be meeting you too." Hikaru smiled in return and noticed she was about to say something when whatever was in the blanket she was holding started moving about, making some sort of noise. Hikaru just furrowed his brow at it, now slightly irritated still not having a clue what (or _who_) it was in there__._

_"Oh, honey, it's okay. You must wanna meet your daddy, don't you?" Kaoru asked very quietly as he walked in front of Kotoko and gingerly took the bundle out of her arms. _

_Hikaru hadn't a clue what was going on, and his confused/disgruntled look showed so. It was all starting to get weird to him. Haruhi's mother suddenly came out of nowhere, now who could this have been?__ But once Kaoru turned around to show said bundle to him, Hikaru's mouth dropped open (again) and his eyes widened (again), being absolutely astounded at the first glance at the little squirming baby. He hadn't a clue how to explain it, but he just naturally knew exactly who it was at the first glace. As Kaoru began passing the akachan off to him, he couldn't help but keep telling himself over and over that it couldn't be. _

_"Here you go, _Otousan_, but make sure you're careful," Kaoru instructed him as he handed off the baby to Hikaru, who handled the child as carefully as he could, but it was a miracle he kept a firm grip considering how shocked he was. __He stopped telling himself that 'it was impossible' once he was holding the baby in his arms (being careful not to irritate the bloody one), who stopped fussing the second he began cradling it._

_"Kaoru...is this really...oh my God...but this baby can't be..." was all that could come out of his mouth as he stared into the baby's big brown eyes, his voice shaking very hard. She stared up at him blankly as he cradled her, while he was on the verge of bursting into tears again, holding his miscarried child. It was an incredible feeling to him indeed, holding his own little girl for the first (and possibly only) time. Kaoru and Kotoko were also close to crying as well as they watched him holding her._

_"Of course she is, Hika. She had to go somewhere, so obviously Heaven was the place," Kaoru said softly. Hikaru took his eyes off of the baby very briefly as he looked at Kaoru in amazement, the tears falling out on there own._

_"She? My...daughter?" Hikaru began gasping for breath as this all sank in. He slowly looked back at the little girl, who began smiling and fussing again as she reached out towards him. Hikaru immediately felt his heart melt as he rocked her gently. She looked just like Haruhi, with the same eyes, but had hair too fine to make out the color, yet she somewhat reminded him of himself at the same time._

_"Well, they say all babies do start out as girls before their parts fully develop and their genders are really determined, so she's really genderless at this point, but it's easier just to refer to her as a girl," Kaoru said as he and Kotoko began crying softly. It was too touching of a scene not to._

_"Well...I don't care...if she would've ended up a hermaphrodite, she's just...perfect, and absolutely beautiful...like her mother...and just like what her brother or sister will be like," Hikaru said softly as he cradled his child more, choking on his sobs. "I love you so much, other akachan. I hate that you can't be with me and Mommy and your brother or sister, but I promise, I'll be sure to take good care of your twin. I...love you."_

_As Hikaru finally decided to just let all his sobs out, he carefully brought his 'daughter' up to his chest to carefully hug her, then kissed her lightly on her forehead. She began cooing happily as he did so, which made him, despite his tears, smile back down at her. Despite all this being a dream, he finally understood the warm feeling of holding his baby for the first time, and to him, nothing, not even the Tamaki-turned-Entei dream, compared to this._

* * *

"Mm...akachan...I love you, honey...and I'll miss you...and you too, Kaoru...and Kotoko-san..." Hikaru whimpered as he lay on his bed on his side with his left arm limply hanging off the side of his bed, his face stained with his tears.

He definitely didn't want to wake up from that particular dream, but alas, all good things come to an end, no matter what. Once it did end, his sleep-talking ceased and he began opening his eyes very slowly. He felt aggravated that it was all over now, but he still felt a bit of euphoria that he had the dream period, and got to see more loved ones than he imagined so, including his own child. He groaned loudly as he began really waking up, seeing that the clock on the wall read 8:48 at night.

"Oh man, that was an insane dream...and a depressing one at that..." he said tiredly as he was about to begin rubbing his eyes with his left arm, but once he got a good look at it, he froze.

Just like in his dream, blood was caked all over it. It was amazing that he didn't feel the pain right away, but it shot right up his arm at the realization. Needless to say that it hurt like hell to him. He then hesitatingly looked over at a nearby wall, where a lamp and the picture of him and Kaoru were, completely shattered. His face fell at the site of the mess.

_'Dammit...I guess I should call someone to clean all this up, including my arm,' _he thought angrily to himself as he examined his arm, but his expression saddened soon after at another realization. _'But more importantly, I guess I should apologize to Haruhi tomorrow...and stop acting like an immature bastard.'_


	27. Get Over It

(A/N: Okay, for all of you who read the previous chapter before I took a certain part out of it, I apologize! After writing that chapter, I realized how much it took away from the more important events in it, but I unintentionally posted it before taking out that part, which is included in this chapter. Sorry if there's any confusion, it was my mistake! Also, this is kinda a boring chapter, but I promise that almost none of the chapters I'll ever post are just fillers. Every one of them has some slight significance to the story. I also apologize if this one's too long, it was completely unintentional, but I couldn't stop writing it! :D)

* * *

"Tamaki, will you please stop messing with the seam on my pillow or making a bird home out of the feathers inside of it? Look, I just got off of the phone with Haruhi and she said that she's fine, so please calm down," Kyoya said impatiently as he was sitting at his desk in his bedroom, just getting off the phone after talking to Haruhi to get an update on how she was doing. He irritatedly watched his best friend sulking on his bed, hugging a huge pillow.

"I'm such a bad father...I let my own children get high and elope...and I let a bully publish bad things about them...I should just burn in hell," Tamaki whined pathetically as he sat on the bed, eyeing the seam, but heeded Kyoya's orders and left it alone.

His eyes watered as he thought about all the stuff that Kyoya had informed him of at school, and how he had pretty much no clue as to how they were going to find their culprit(s), which only bummed the king out even further. He, non-surprisingly, didn't have any ideas either, so there wasn't much to do at the moment, but they both, along with their sempais, were determined to get to the bottom of this for the sake of their friends.

"From what she told me, she seems apparently unaware of the article, so I think it'd probably be best to keep that from her since she doesn't need the stress, considering this kind of thing was _exactly _what she was trying to avoid in the first place. But for the time being, we do have Hikaru's birthday and Haruhi's baby shower to plan for, so we should probably start right now. Considering that Hikaru's pretty much deciding for both of them that they're keeping their child, a shower would probably be appropriate, and regardless of there not being any host club activities for a while, I'm sure girls would go crazy over it. ...God...I still can't believe this is happening to us...to _them_...but anyway, I can probably find a way to get the lowlife who published it to retract it while I'm at it and find some way to restore Haruhi and Hikaru's reputations for right now until then..."

As Kyoya groaned loudly, he stopped typing and removed his glasses in order to wipe his face with his jacket sleeve. It was all starting to get to him. The situation was bad enough as it is, but for there to be no evident way of overcoming it was the worst to him. He knew that he said before that as a whole, this really wasn't his nor Tamaki, Honey, or Mori's responsibilities in the first place; it _was _Haruhi and Hikaru's kid after all.

Yet somehow, after all this time, something inside him must have just clicked, and he was well aware of it in the back of his mind, like everything else in the world. Maybe it was Kaoru's unexpected death, maybe it was just having Haruhi join the host club in the first place, but like Hikaru, there was indeed a side of him that matured. Though it might've appeared that the Shadow King was far from immature, he knew that just something made him grow up a little bit, and overall, become far less self-centered. Hey, he was busy with all this instead of something that would impress his father (who was no longer for the idea of him marrying Haruhi, for obvious reasons), that had to say something.

To Tamaki, something was definitely said.

Kyoya, after being deep in thought for a bit, turned his swivel chair back around to work on such-and-such. He didn't notice Tamaki creep up next to him, no longer mourning, but having a curious look on his face.

"Hey, Kyoya...I've been thinking about something for some time now..." the king said quietly as he watched Kyoya doing whatever on his computer.

"Go on," he replied emotionless, not turning away from his monitor for a second. Despite becoming somewhat warmer, his determination towards what he was working on wouldn't ever falter, just because it was him.

"Well, I don't know where you stand on this right now, especially since Hikaru and Haruhi are both definitely in love with each other, but...how do you feel about all this?"

"Feel about what, specifically?"

"Haruhi...being with Hikaru...doesn't it make _you_ feel...jealous...or angry? Even just a teeny bit? I know I did a little bit, but...I'm concerned for you, especially since it's not that obvious to you, I guess..."

Kyoya's rapid typing immediately halted. He still didn't bother to turn around to look at the concerned expression on Tamaki's face, but he felt a slight tug on his heartstrings at the question. After thinking about his answer to such a question for a couple minutes, he knew, and his serious expression softened, his determination on what he was doing slightly stifling. He never thought the day would come that Tamaki, or anyone else for that matter, would become aware of something before him.

"Initially, a little bit, to be perfectly honest, but not long after...I knew that that's just how it would've been anyway. Plus, I've already been given much more in my life than I truly deserve, and for now, that's plenty for me, and I am very grateful for it all...but we both know you won't tell anyone else I just said this or else, you know."

Tamaki smiled, despite his best friend's sarcasm; he could easily see right through it, even if everyone else perceived him as an idiot. Speaking of him not really being an idiot...

"Heh, yeah, don't worry, I swear I won't. But I know that if I ever were to do something that had the slightest possibility of tipping _you _of all people off, I'd transfer our of Ouran at the first opportunity to avoid any sort of suspicion!"

At that statement, Kyoya stopped typing again and his eyes widened. _Never _had Tamaki sounded like such a genius to him before in the years they've known each other.

* * *

_'Man, no doubt that today will be pretty awkward between me and Hikaru. Hopefully he cooled down after yesterday, but I shouldn't be too surprised if he's still upset and refuses to listen to a thing I say, even though it would only be fair to both of us if we reach a _mutual _agreement on what to do. I mean, I really do understand where he's coming from; he just wants everything to be perfect, just like I do...but...I just can't convince myself that it's what's right. None of this is at all and wasn't supposed to ever happen. But still, I can't believe that he's now not even giving me a choice in the matter now! I'm being forced to be Mrs. Haruhi Hitachiin forever now for crying out loud _and _I'm being forced to raise our child when it's a fact that there are better people out there for the job. ...Mm, I guess all I can do is hope that Hikaru comes around and allows us to reach some sort of agreement we're _both_ content with, otherwise...I just don't know right now.'_

Haruhi thought this as she headed to school the following day, which over the last couple months, became more strenuous than ever as she began getting tired more easily; carrying her heavy textbooks wasn't exactly a simple task anymore either. She dreaded the thought that things like this would only get more difficult in the upcoming months, but every time she felt like whining to herself, she mentally reminded herself that whether she'd go with adoption or keeping the baby, she technically was now a mother and that all she was going through was all for her child.

As she went on her way, she wasn't as focused on him or her as she was on how she would handle things with her 'husband', who she had a feeling wouldn't be easily persuaded into discussing things again. She had felt much better after discussing things with Honey and Mori the previous day, but hadn't a clue what Mori was planning when he told her that he had an idea on how to help her out and refused to tell her what it would be, but considering it was _him_, she did have a good feeling about what he had in mind. But for today, she just wanted to get through it without facing Hikaru being too painful and/or uncomfortable.

_'Come on, it's just a normal school day like usual. You can go in. You can do it, dammit!' _Haruhi tried reassuring herself as she shook nervously in front of the door leading into her homeroom.

She stood there practically motionless after stretching her arm out to open it, the beads of sweat falling down along her flesh as she gritted her teeth, looking more nervous as hell than ever before in her life. (Well, she probably was more nervous taking the pregnancy test months ago, but still.) She knew she'd have to confront him eventually, plus she did have to attend class, but it still proved difficult to just go in. As she stood there, contemplating if she should just go ahead in already, figured that she was always there before him anyway. A great weight was suddenly lifted off her shoulders at the thought and she exhaled, feeling slightly more confident in going in. She finally turned the handle and opened the door fully, stepping inside, praying that Hikaru wouldn't be there yet.

Her prayers weren't answered.

_'Oh God, I feel like my morning sickness is about to rear it's ugly head again...' _she thought gloomily to herself as her face fell at the sight of Hikaru sitting at his desk, tiredly slouched on top of it as he played his DS. His facial expression looked somewhat pissed-off. Just what Haruhi _didn't_ want.

At that point, she figured there was no point in turning back. As she started walking to her desk, a couple girls excitedly jumped out in front of her.

"Congratulations, Haruhi-chan!" they both exclaimed excitedly as their eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, scaring the crap out of her and making her nearly jump out of her skin as she gasped. Hikaru briefly glanced over out of curiosity, but quickly turned back to his game.

"Oh, um, thanks guys..." she answered nervously as she tried regaining her composure. She had recognized the girls as host club guests, but hadn't ever really spoken to them before. "...Um, what exactly happened?" At her question, the two girls giggled, which just completely threw Haruhi off.

"Your and Hikaru's wedding, silly! Kyoya-sempai released some of your guys' wedding pictures! You guys look _beyond _kawaii!" one of them said as she flipped open her phone in front of Haruhi and went through the _long _album rapidly.

Haruhi just felt her eyes preparing to fall out of her head and some weight bringing her jaw down to the floor as she looked at them. So what if she was drunk? She was a bit concerned that she had absolutely _no _memory of this whole ordeal whatsoever, but alas. Hikaru still didn't budge a bit, despite being within perfect hearing distance and wishing to see the pictures himself.

"I know! Oh, I just hope that me and my groom look just as cute on my wedding day some day!" the other girl squealed just as she and the other one bid goodbye to go back to wherever doing whatever, leaving Haruhi standing there, totally baffled.

_'...That's it, I'm _so_ never drinking _ever_, even when I do become legally old enough. I just can't believe that I allowed myself to do something so stupid, even if I was severely drunk...' _she thought to herself, twitching and sweatdropping simultaneously, as she slowly walked over to her desk.

The whole way over to her desk, Hikaru's attention towards his game didn't falter a bit. It somewhat annoyed Haruhi as she stared him down and sat down while setting her stuff on her desk. Along with walking to school with all her books, she groaned to herself as she realized that getting all the way into her desk wasn't easy either, but for now, she was more irritated at the cold wind she felt as she tried getting Hikaru's attention. A year ago, that wouldn't have been a problem at all; it would've been _her_ not giving _him_ as much attention as he would've wanted. She didn't exactly like his feelings of hostility towards her and just wanted him to talk to her, just to eliminate the awkward air.

"Good morning, Hikaru," she tried greeting him, turning over towards his direction while trying to smile at him. The slight irritation in her cheerful tone was trying to make itself obvious.

"Whatever," he grunted, not even attempting to make eye contact.

First attempt: total failure.

"Um...how's it going this morning?"

"Fine, but who cares?"

Second attempt: equal failure.

"So...any interesting dreams last night?"

"Yeah, but all it did was send me into a spiraling, dark abyss of tears and complete melancholy."

Third attempt: failure to the absolute extreme.

"Hey, what happened to your hand? It's all bandaged up."

"Nothing."

Fourth attempt: couldn't have failed more.

"Hikaru, I think I can feel akachan kicking!"

"You still have about four more months, I'll have other opportunities to feel him or her within them."

Fifth attempt: couldn't have been a bigger failure.

"Okay, that's it. Now you're just being as difficult as ever, Hikaru. I'm just trying to talk to you, do you have some problem with that?" she mumbled irritatedly, but loudly enough to make sure he heard it. She rested her arms on her desk as much as she could as she began glaring at him.

"Not usually, but now I'm pretty confident that anytime we might try talking at this moment in time will just end with us screaming at each other and disagreeing about whatever we're talking about, so I'm not taking that chance."

Sixth attempt: failure, not to mention totally harsh backfire.

"You know what, just forget it. I'm too tired this morning to put all my effort into trying to be nice to you, especially since _your_ son or daughter was keeping me up all night," she said before she finally gave up and just laid back as comfortably as she could in her seat, trying her best to look away from him and make sure he was aware of it.

For a moment, Hikaru paused his game. Looking over at her for a moment, there was an inconspicuous hint of genuine concern in his eyes as he glanced at her, but just as she turned to face him, he quickly replaced the concern with disdain, which just made her turn back around angrily again. He quickly regretted that move.

_'Smooth move, Hikaru, she's definitely pissed at you now! Why can't you just get your act together and stop acting like an inconsiderate jerk?'_ he thought to himself, letting out a heavy sigh.

Was he still kind of upset with her for not wanting the same things as him? Of course, but he had sworn to himself yesterday that he'd stop being inflexible and try seeing things from her point of view, like Kaoru told him in his dream. Unfortunately, and obviously, he was having trouble doing so and unintentionally reverted back to his typical immature, inflexible mindset, making catty remarks at anything she tried talking to him about. Not exactly the way he intended to go, nor was it even the slightest bit decent way for any guy to act around his wife, but that's Hikaru Hitachiin for you.

_'Come on, why is being reasonable so damn hard? Come on, you know she'd appreciate it!' _he scolded himself in his head. He groaned to himself loudly, but that obviously didn't attract Haruhi's attention at all.

He turned back towards her to try and get something out, the concern in his eyes quickly returning, but he couldn't bring himself to do so, especially as he gazed at her. To him, she was still as beautiful as ever (even if she was overweight, which was technically his fault anyway), but he could clearly see how her expression was mixed with sadness and apparent tiredness (also his fault) as she was leaning back in her seat, one of her arms wrapped protectively over her stomach. As he looked at her, he began feeling more and more like a bastard, eventually just pocketing his DS and laying his head on his desk in distress.

Put himself in her shoes? What was he thinking? Even if he could, he knew that he couldn't ever fully comprehend _everything_ she was going through (all of which was his fault too). _She_ was the one who got pregnant. _She_ was the one that had been going through all the crappy stuff while also trying to get whatever they would do settled without even complaining that much about it when, while he had done as much as he could in his power, he overall wouldn't have to go through any of the pain he knew she was experiencing (and he didn't even want to think about the pain she'll go through when she would give birth).

With all of that in mind, he realized how along with going through all that, it would be just to give up all she ever wanted. So what if they had a nanny to take care of akachan when they were at school, or if he had enough money for them to live off of forever? He knew from the second they met that she had her whole life planned out right in front of her and was willing to literally do anything to reach her goals, but that exact plan was kind of out the window for good now. Maybe she would be able to get to do all that she wanted, but having a kid in the way was without any doubt going to just make it all harder and more stressful on her than she probably wanted. Considering she and akachan were the only things keeping him going in life anymore, looking at it from her perspective was obviously kind of a hassle for him.

Hikaru felt like he was on the verge of a couple tears, realizing that yelling at her the other day just because she was giving her thoughtful, pretty reasonable opinion on what she thought they should do, was completely unnecessary. Besides that, he realized how almost cruel (and while he didn't want to admit it, selfish) it was of him to be forcing her into going with what he wanted.

_'Come on, just say you're sorry and that you won't chain her down anymore!' _"Uh, Haruhi...?" he asked her quietly as she slowly lifted his head off the desk.

"Yeah, Hikaru?" She turned around to face him, the aggravation evident in her tone, but curious as to what he wanted.

"Uh...uh...uh..." _'__**Say it!**__' _"...Chairman Suoh gave this to me in the hallway this morning to give to you, so just take it off my hands already," he said obnoxiously as he plopped his head back on the desk, staring out the window as he held his arm out to her, a fancy-looking envelope in his hand.

"...Thank you, I guess," she said as she stretched out her arm to take it from him. Too bad Suoh didn't ask her to report to his office; she enjoyed the thought that she almost had an excuse to not be around Hikaru the morning he decided to have an attitude with her.

"Whatever, I hope it's a letter of expulsion." _'Oh my God, what the hell Hikaru! What's wrong with you? Dammit, you really can't do anything right! The universe really does have a reason to hate you now!'_

Not answering to his rude remark, she brought the envelope in front of her and carefully opened it up to read whatever was inside. While she knew for a fact that, despite the slight drop in her grades due to all the stress she was going through, there was really no reason for her to get in trouble or get expelled since she always behaved and still maintained the top spot in her class, she still felt nervous as she opened it up and began reading the chairman's letter to her. As she scanned over the thing, she breathed a sigh of relief that it was certainly nothing bad, but once she got to a certain part of it, her mouth dropped slightly open. This wasn't exactly an offer she _ever_ expected getting, especially in high school.

* * *

For the rest of the week, the tension between Haruhi and Hikaru barely eased, and the rest of the host club could merely watch from afar as the two were at odds. They managed to get a few words across to each other that weren't dripping with disdain, but they still failed to really ever talk to each other without it ending in awkwardness or irritation with each other. Hikaru still beated himself up on the inside about acting maturely, but his immature side still dominated him every time Haruhi was around and had a chance to talk things out with him. This wasn't exactly close to an ideal marriage in the least, especially considering that she didn't join him when he finally got all his stuff in his new house and began living there alone.

While Hikaru was focused more on mending their relationship and stop being arrogant towards her, Haruhi was _far _more focused on what Chairman Suoh's proposition for her entailed. Ranka, who had finally gotten past the fact that his little girl was now a legally married woman (despite being sixteen and not even living with her husband), initially was totally crazy about the whole idea, but Haruhi got through to him and convinced him that it'd be good for her and got his permission. Now that she was able to accept this proposition, she was now incredibly worried on how she would tell the rest of the host club and how they would take it. She was pretty confident in that she probably wouldn't get a positive reaction, but she had to tell them eventually, so...why not at Hikaru's birthday party that upcoming Saturday, where she would also be able to drop the bomb on all the host club's guests as well?

Tamaki and Kyoya (who was taking copious notes in his black book) coolly leaned against the wall in their debonair suits as they surveyed the area in the Hitachiin Manor where the party was being held. The whole place was well-decorated. Hikaru (in his signature vest while every other male in the room was wearing a suit), Honey, Mori, and the girls, in only their most formal attire as well, were scattered everywhere, chatting among each other and those from Hikaru's family who were in attendance, enjoying themselves. Hikaru, getting past the fact that this was his first birthday party _only _for him (and not Kaoru as well) and that he and Haruhi weren't on the best of terms, was having a good time himself, especially as he was opening all his presents. The same couldn't really be said for the two 'parents' of the host club as they looked on.

"It seems that the ladies are all having a good time. A shame I can't charge them for attending," Kyoya, in his money-making mindset, commented, his eyes glued to whatever crap he was writing, but he looked up for a moment curiously, looking over the room. "But I'm surprised that Haruhi hasn't shown up yet."

"I'm not so much." Kyoya turned his attention over to Tamaki, who was looking somewhat melancholic, which was unusual to him since he somewhat expected his best friend to be out there, romancing every female in sight instead of just hanging back. "They seem to still be at odds with each other and can't seem to get past their differences of opinion in order to finally reach some sort of compromise. It's not exactly good if they can't even decide what they're going to do with poor akachan, but I know that they can if at least one of them starts acting more flexible. But for now, we just have to wait until they can find some way of really communicating with each other."

"Hm, that's very thoughtful of you, Tamaki, but you're right, all we can do is wait for now, along with getting to the bottom of these two cases. I still can't really seem to find anymore leads, but I guess we can just keep looking at other students' records, both those currently attending Ouran or not. I'm just thankful that by releasing those wedding pictures, most people have forgotten about the one article for now, but unfortunately, Mrs. Hitachiin's clothing sales have notably dropped since the article was released..."

Tamaki frowned at that statement (and resisted the urge to go into his corner to cry about how he couldn't stop the wedding when he had the chance and kept Haruhi and Hikaru from having everything ruined). While the two of them continued their conversation, Hikaru, who was surrounded by Honey, Mori, and a bunch of sqealing girls, was laughing his head off as he lay on the floor while Honey and Mori's present was excitedly licking his face off.

"Futeki, stop it! That really tickles, and you're gonna get my best vest all dirty!" the birthday boy laughed hard as the kawaii Husky puppy had pounced on top of him and began licking him enthusiastically.

"We're glad you like him, Hika-chan! But just remember that he's yours and to take care of him yourself, right Takashi?"

"Yes, Mitsukuni." Mori had a rare, content-looking grin on his face. The plan he had spoken of with Haruhi the other day was no in play. While the cute dog was an overall nice gift, it was a chance to see how responsible the soon-to-be-otousan could really be, though said future otousan was obviously oblivious to the whole plan, not suspecting at all what the whole point of receiving this gift was. Even Mori could be sneaky every now and again, huh?

"Hehe, you're so cute, Futeki, but stop it already, okay?" Hikaru continued laughing along with all the girls surrounding him squealing over how cute they looked together, but their attention was quickly drawn away by something else.

Walking right through the the large double doors leading into the ballroom, quieting the entire crowd while making an unintentionally dramatic entrance, was (obviously) Haruhi, looking only breath-taking in the flowing pink gown she wore (that was definitely maternity). Every girl in the room, including Tamaki and Honey, couldn't resist fawning over her from afar, while Kyoya and Mori admired her more quietly. Hikaru, on the other hand, was looking quite content on the outside, but snickering evilly on the inside, though as his amusement grew, it became harder to contain himself.

Haruhi, despite looking as fantastic as she truly did, didn't have the same positive emotion in her facial expression. In fact, it wasn't positive at all; she began shooting the birthday boy (who was still lying awkwardly on the floor with his favorite present on top of him) a death glare the second she spotted him. Said glare hadn't any effect on him at all.

"Wow, Hika-chan! Haru-chan looks so cute, doesn't she?" Honey asked him as girls continued swooning over Haruhi as she walked into the ballroom, who politely thanked them all as she kept her eyes narrowed in Hikaru's direction.

"Of course she does, it's a Hitachiin original she's wearing. Had to make sure she would be dressed nicely on _my_ birthday after all," he said as he smirked back in her direction.

Usually Haruhi wouldn't have minded wearing any of the clothes Hikaru would make for her, but in this case, the dress was a bit too girly for her in her opinion and she rejected the dress long ago when Hikaru first gave it to her earlier in her pregnancy. Unfortunately, Hikaru had given his twin maids her address, and the rest was history. Still obviously annoyed with him, even more than she had been all week, Haruhi knew the best revenge on him (which would get a certain announcement out of the way as well).

_'Hmph, well, too can play this game, _Hikaru_,' _she thought angrily to herself as she scowled at him every now and then. Hikaru began losing his will power and, despite still being somewhat pissed, found enjoyment in her discontent.

After some time of idle chat with the girls, Hikaru's extended family (who, to her surprise, were overall approving of her being his wife, despite being a commoner), and the guys (including Tamaki, who glommed onto her a bit too much for comfort), Haruhi walked up one of the staircases and began clinking her glass.

"Excuse me guys! If it's alright, I have few announcements I'd like to make!" she announced, which quickly got everyone listening intently.

Hikaru, who finally got a leash on Futeki, was somewhat taken aback that _she _of all people would have something to say, along with the rest of the guys. (Kyoya began writing rapidly, of course.) He hadn't a clue what it could've been that she wanted to say, since it was usually his own parents, who weren't even there due to work unfortunately, who gave a speech, but it was whatever to him. She could say whatever she wanted, what was the worst she could say?

Well, had Hikaru known the answer to that, he probably wouldn't have been as anxious to hear it as he was.

"Well, I'd first like to say Happy 17th Birthday, _honey_. And thank you so much for this beautiful gown your maids helped me get into this morning." Haruhi gritted her teeth as she said this, still staring down at Hikaru, who was quietly snickering at her annoyance, still unaware of what was to come. Haruhi kept the fakest grin on as she continued. It was time for the kill. "And I'd also like to announce that Hikaru and I will be having a healthy, beautiful baby boy!"

At that statement, Hikaru stopped laughing immediately and his face fell all the way to the earth's core. He was truly in both shock and severe disappointment to the extreme. All the times of ignoring a certain part of the sonograms, telling the doctor he didn't want to know, gone...and it certainly depressed him, even though he'd now be able to stop saying he or she all the time. While all the girls and Honey were gushing about how cute their son would be and while Tamaki began squealing excitedly on how he could then become the leader of the new generation of hosts, Hikaru felt like he was turning into stone, the look of complete shock stuck on his face. Kind of weird, but not exactly any less weird than the times Tamaki erodes away when he feels distressed...

"No...why did she have to do that to me? I wanted to be surprised..." he whined to himself as Futeki kept him, curious as to why his master turned into a statue in his surprise.

Haruhi, noticing Hikaru's current state, kept a straight face on, but was grinning mischieviously on the inside, knowing that her plan succeeded. But now that that particular part was over, it was time for her _real _announcement to be made known, which wasn't exactly going to bring her (or anyone) any sort of joy.

"I thank all of you guys for your support throughout my pregnancy and I'm sure you are all as excited as Hikaru and I are for when we welcome our son into the world," she continued, trying not to laugh at Hikaru's misfortune, keeping in mind what was coming up now. "But anyway, I do have on more thing to say and it's very important."

As she said this, her perfectly straight and unreadable facial expression disappeared and a more grim look came upon it. No longer frozen in his state of shock, Hikaru and the other hosts easily took notice of it, getting the feeling that it wasn't exactly something they're going to want to hear. Kyoya fired up his pen at the observation, which was only emphasized by the somewhat surprised look on Tamaki (who was only jumping for joy a moment ago), who, despite his airheaded demeanor, wasn't _that_ dense. Haruhi knew it would sting, so she figured that it was good to be getting it out of the way right now.

As Hikaru heard each new word come out of her mouth, he felt less like he was turning back into stone and more like his heart was being thrown into a paper shredder and the pieces tossed into a burning inferno. He didn't want to believe Haruhi's announcement

"I've been offered a full scholarship to attend a summer pre-law program in the U.S. for high school students, and I plan on accepting it, so I'm sad to say that I won't around over the summer. I'm sorry."


	28. Falling Down

(A/N: Okay, I _really_ hope you guys don't get too saddened by what's in this chapter! Having said that, I can't give away what's gonna happen in the future after this one, but I just hope your guys' hope doesn't diminish too much after reading this!

Also, as of now, I have also revised chapter two.)

* * *

Haruhi almost immediately shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled heavily; and damn, did she need to. She knew that this wasn't going to be easy to suddenly drop on everyone, but they'd all have to find out eventually and they were all conveniently gathered together all at once anyway. Unfortunately, she almost regretted immediately, not exactly fond of the awkward silence that followed.

After making her (not-so)-little announcement and allowing the dead silence to turn into a few hushed whispers, she got the courage to open up her eyes to scan the room, particularly to see the reactions on certain people's faces. Obviously, there was shock written all over pretty much everyone's. Pretty much all the girls quickly began chatting anxiously among one another, looks of sadness coming upon their faces as they whispered. Kyoya and Mori looked the least affected (as usual), but there were obvious traces of surprise anyone could easily sense from them; Kyoya even kept his writing hand completely still for once, regardless of the many interesting developments that just occurred that he would usually be so anxious to write down. Tamaki and Honey were easily on the verge of tears and both had handkerchiefs handy, unsurprisingly taking it all as if she was leaving forever, but to them, any amount of time with her away was pretty equivalent to forever. Haruhi wasn't expecting any different as she looked on and let out an almost exhausted sigh.

After a moment, she began to open her mouth, ready to thank everyone for their courtesy for listening. She didn't even manage to get a single syllable out when out of nowhere, she was hastily swiped away by the wrist by _him_, the one guy whose reaction she couldn't bare to glance at.

"Hikaru, slow down!" she exclaimed as he gripped on even tighter on her wrist as they were running to only-he-knew-where.

Less than a second ago, she knew for a fact that she was surely just standing on the staircase, but Hikaru, (not literally) faster than lightening, blasted up there and grabbed her, making her run with him to someplace, but she still found the building pretty unfamiliar as a whole. Haruhi, nervously following him through the maze-like corridors in the manor, couldn't get him to stop for one second or release his grip no matter how much she cried out to him. She panted hard as she followed, having no other choice, and while he tried facing away from her as much as possible, she frowned at the heavily distressed look on his face and the couple of tears that flew off as he sprinted. Like his own, she felt her own heart slightly break.

"Ow, careful Hikaru!" Haruhi scolded him as she landed hard onto his bed. "What the hell?"

Soon enough, they blasted right into where she remembered his bedroom was after he slammed the door open. Once inside, he finally halted, but not before slamming the door shut and forcefully shoving her onto his bed. Sitting up on the bed, Haruhi, rubbing her achy lower back, thought about how that was _definitely_no way for a guy to treat his own wife, pregnant or otherwise. She dismissed this thought once Hikaru slowly walked up in front of her, face-to-face for the first time in the last couple days. Haruhi's eyes slightly widened at his _very_ morose expression.

"You're not going!"

Haruhi could only stare up at him, totally dumbfounded for a moment before her blood began to boil. That was so far from what she expected of him; whining, bawling, on his knees begging her otherwise because he'd miss her _so_much, any of the above seemed more like him, but no. He had a much different reaction to the news, but that was it. All week, she had put up with his immature behavior toward her, but now he was asking for it, whether he truly cared or not. Those three simple words that Haruhi wasn't expecting in the least from him infuriated her; her eyes retracted into another death glare, but that didn't really phase him at all.

"What? Why can't I? What're you talking about?" Like she really didn't know where he was going with this.

"Exactly that, Haruhi!" The coldness in his rare deadly serious tone easily stung her as both of her hands began to tightly cling to the sheets on his bed. Hikaru's fists tightened as he glared down back at her. "You're in no condition to be living halfway around the world for such a long amount of time without me or any of the other guys around to protect you! Have you just totally lost it now or become so obsessed with fulfilling your own selfish desires? Apparently so, since our son's well-being doesn't seem to mean _anything_to you!" Also apparent was the fact that Hikaru was so pissed, he didn't even scold her from ruining the surprise of akachan's gender.

"Oh my God, Hikaru, just cut it out already!" As expected, Haruhi didn't exactly cool down at all after her overall undeserved scolding. She shot up off the bed, which did phase Hikaru _just_ a little bit this time, but he kept his game face on. "I'm seriously starting to get sick of all this fighting with you, but you're the one that's being completely unreasonable. I'll be _fine_, as well as akachan; I'm not gonna do anything reckless if that's what you're thinking, and I certainly don't need one of you guys around me all the time. After the way you've been treating me all week, it'll be nice to get a break from your immaturity anyway. And it's not for that long anyway. I'll be back before the next school term starts and before he's born. Besides, it'll be good for me! I'll be able to take care of a few college credits even and get more exposed to the world, but please stop trying to make me feel bad when I'm not even doing anything wrong!"

"Oh God, you're _so_stupid, Haruhi! Yes, you do deserve to feel bad and you aren't doing anything right!" Hikaru overdramatically grabbed onto his red locks in agony as he yelled right in her face, beginning to seriously piss her off. It didn't even occur to him that he was totally going against Kaoru's wishes and what he vowed not that long ago to himself.

"You're the one that's acting stupid and like some spoiled brat for crying out loud!

"You know what, just shut up! (Ew, a spider. Eh whatever.) You obviously have no clue what you're talking about or how wrong it is of you to be doing all this in the first place!"

At this point in this petty argument, they were both on the verge of tears, getting stressed out from all the meaningless yelling and not getting anywhere. Going into this little debate, Hikaru didn't actually have anything planned out in his mind on how he would handle it, nor did it even occur to him at all that maybe taking a more mature route would've been the way to really go, but alas.

Did either of them actually enjoy this right now? Uh, hopefully not, but it didn't seem as if either of them were on the verge of taking said mature route, though Haruhi kind of made an attempt. She just couldn't believe it as she stood there, staring at the completely pissed-off Hikaru, both of whom were blowing off more steam then they could handle at this point. She was so excited for the opportunity awaiting her, even though she truly would miss all her friends and loved ones, even Hikaru. Scratch that, _especially_Hikaru. Okay, they had been aruging and had been at odds with each other all week, couldn't come to any sort of agreement regarding the most precious and significant thing (well, person) in both of their lives, and above all, he was just flat-out driving her insane. But come on, she was _in love_ with him, whether she wanted to be or not, and had only discovered so a week ago. She certainly wasn't crazy about the idea of being away from him for so much time, and evidently, neither was he, but from what it seemed like, not really for the same reason. Yet at the same time, considering how crazy they were driving each other, maybe getting away from him wouldn't be such a bad idea, but at this moment in time, who knew if he'd let her or not? He certainly had the power to prevent her from going, and she knew so, even though it was completely unreasonable.

"Then just tell me right now, Hikaru, what I'm doing wrong and why I'm _so_ stupid! I'd love to know, because I certainly haven't got a clue!"

"Ugh, you just don't get it! Isn't it obvious? Because..."

At that moment, Hikaru actually managed to hold to tongue...for once. The anger in his eyes, the irritation with his wife, all gone in an instant, but Haruhi still kept an intense gaze on him as she waited for him to answer her, though she did notice. Replacing the burning rage in his eyes was, surprisingly enough, a kind of melancholy as he thought up his answer. He pretty much knew this entire time the real reason he didn't want her to go, but like Kaoru always said, Hikaru always had a problem with telling people how he really feels.

_"You have to tell people how you really feel, or they'll never know."_

Those words began ringing in his head the second he was ready to answer her, and they were thankfully able to stop him before he was able to give out yet another immature remark. Talk about times when he really wished his brother was by his side. At these thoughts, he released his hair and allowed his arms and head to droop in distress. He couldn't bare to look at Haruhi anymore at the moment, her own anger beginning to diminish as she noticed his actions, she herself becoming slightly confused.

"Uh, Hikaru?" she said quietly, unintentionally tilting her head to one side in confusion.

For a few silent, somewhat awkward seconds, they just stood right there in front of each other, her still looking up at him curiously as he stared at the carpeting. Haruhi's eyes slightly widened as she noticed him beginning to tremble and sniffle a bit. While concerned for him, she was getting a bit impatient and was just ready to end this whole conversation, if it could even be called one.

"Hikaru, just spit it out. It's okay, just tell me why you're freaking out about this so much."

Hikaru trembled and began breathing more heavily now as he kept his eyes glued to the floor as he responded, but not really in the way he was hoping to, or how she would have really preferred: "I don't want you to go...because...because...I...I don't know! I really just don't know anything anymore, it's all becoming too much now! Just do whatever you want, I don't care! Now just go home!"

At his little unexpected outburst, Haruhi's eyes expanded even more (and began tearing up even more) and her mouth dropped open as she saw him begin to cry as he aggressively pointed towards the door. Not what she expected or wanted to hear at all.

"Hikaru-"

"**Leave now!**" he exclaimed, choking on his oncoming sobs as he finally made eye contact with her again. She felt her heart slightly break at his blood-shot eyes that were flooding with his tears. This was certainly not getting them anywhere and was only pushing them farther apart, but she hadn't any idea what else she could do right now.

"Okay, fine. Hope the rest of your birthday goes well then, Hikaru," she said as she began heading out the door, trying her best to hide her bitterness, but she didn't care how respectful she was acting towards him as she noticed how agonized the look on his face was now as he watched her walk out, his nails on the verge of tearing through his skin as his fists tightened even more out of his pain.

"Goodbye then," he replied, not attempting to hide his grief at all. Besides giving him a truly disappointed look, Haruhi didn't reply back just before going out the door.

Then, after leaving him alone in there for maybe a few seconds, she opened the door wide to see him still standing there, facing the door. Her own distressed expression looked magnified ten times as she quickly pulled off her wedding ring and dropped it onto the floor, just before closing the door and letting Hikaru be...again.

At that action, any traces of Hikaru's anger that were still ignited within him burned out and were replaced by even more feelings of sorrow as he walked over to where the ring lay. Bending down and then picking it up, he gazed at it silently in a state of despair for what seemed like forever to him before clenching it firmly as he really began letting his sobs out. As they were released, he sprinted over to his bed and practically fell right onto it, beginning to weep into his pillows. Pretty doubtful that the rest of his birthday would go well now.

_'What have I done...' _he thought as he lay there, calming down a bit after letting the worst of it out of his system. He rolled onto his back and held the ring in his hands closely to his chest as he stared up at the ceiling, letting his mind wander. He cried himself out by now, but his eyes were very red and puffy and the bandages on his one hand were totally soaked. _'Oh man...God, I hate this all so much...I need you now more than ever, Kaoru...I don't wanna lose the only people I care about in my life...'_

"Hikaru, are you in there? Are you okay? I just saw Haruhi's storming through the halls in tears. What happened? Can I come in? Do you wanna talk about it?"

Hikaru didn't flinch one bit, but recognized that voice that was asking billions of questions instantly and didn't think its owner of all people would have come up to check on him, but he was a pretty caring guy after all, but it would've been nicer if it were Kaoru. And what did he say? _Haruhi_ was in tears? Oh, great...

"...Tono? ...What do you want? Do you _think_I'm in the mood to talk about it right now?" Hikaru said as he slowly sat up in his bed, loudly enough for Tamaki to hear from outside the bedroom.

Hikaru intentionally tried to sound obnoxious like he usually would towards his sempai, but his sobs easily muffled anything he said. That didn't stop Tamaki from letting himself in. Hikaru, disgruntled, kept facing the opposite wall away from Tamaki as he walked over to the bed and sat down, smiling down concernedly on the soon-to-be-otousan.

"Hikaru, it'll be fine, I promise," the king tried assuring him, though Hikaru still refused to look at him as he lay on his side, staring out the window. "Okay, I'll admit that Kaoru's probably better at this sort of thing than I am, but I'm trying my best. Now come on, what happened?"

Hikaru almost felt the urge to scoff at him. Obviously, the 'sort of thing' Tamaki was referring to was talking to and consoling him, which, sadly enough, was always Kaoru's job. Hikaru knew that he just wanted to help, but it felt totally weird to him, as expected. He didn't exactly enjoy opening up to anyone else anyway, especially in such a weak-looking state, but Tamaki didn't give a damn. He just hated seeing his 'family' fighting like this and wanted to help the best he could. It was far from a comfortable situation, but Tamaki, not necessarily wanting to take Kaoru's place, just wanted to do whatever he could

"Ugh, what do you think, Tono? Every time I try talking to her, _every single time_I try to be reasonable and show her I really care, I act like I complete bastard. I hate it. My stubborness is getting in the way of everything. Not to mention Kaoru wouldn't be happy with me. I don't know how anything's gonna get settled now, and it's all my fault. It's all my fault any of this crap happened in the first place to begin with..."

"Oh, Hikaru, like I said, I know everything will be fine, but don't blame everything on yourself. Dwelling on the past isn't gonna help anyone," Tamaki said sternly as his softened expression turned more serious. "Okay, obviously, you didn't say what you meant to say to Haruhi just now, right? I'm guessing what you did say was something along the lines of getting her to not go to America and she didn't agree to it."

"You got that right. I couldn't bring myself to just tell her how I really felt about all of it completely and without getting into another argument and telling her to just go do whatever she wants now. All week, I've been acting totally out of it and haven't been reasonable with her. Now, I'm absolutely terrified that we'll never stop this fighting and I'll lose the most important person in the world to me. Not to mention that this isn't fair to akachan. I'm sure all our screaming isn't good for his poor ears at all. And again, it is my fault. Don't you dare try to tell me otherwise, Tono."

As Hikaru said this, he struggled to finally turn his head to look at his sempai, who was a bit surprised to see how red his eyes were from all the crying, but both tried keeping straight faces on. Tamaki listened intently as Hikaru was telling him all of this. It was hard, indeed, but Hikaru obviously needed to just get this all out right now in order to feel better.

"Okay, I kinda get it now, Hikaru. But tell me, what did you really want to tell her? I'm sure you gave her plenty of reasons as to why you don't want her to go, but was there anything you left out? Anything at all that might've been more important than what you did say that she might've been more willing to listen to?"

Taking his thoughtful question into consideration, Hikaru looked down away from Tamaki's face for a minute to think, eyeing the drying bandages on his hand and contemplating what he wanted to say. Honestly, there was no thinking about it. He did know what he really wanted to say instead of just telling her to leave, but like when he was talking to her earlier, it wasn't all that much easier saying it to Tamaki either, but he managed.

"Honestly, the main reason I don't want her to go...isn't it obvious, Tono? I...still love her too much... and I'd miss her too much if she leaves." Hikaru sniffled as he said this, but refused to cry anymore. Tamaki also somehow resisted going over the edge like he usually does in sad situations. "I hate this...it's not like I _wanted _to leave her while I was going through my rehab all the way in Karuizawa for so long...or even after Kaoru's funeral when I locked myself up in my house. And of course the _one_time I went out of the house to see her, I end up drunk and getting her pregnant and not even rembering it at all...and that's probably the worst part of it all, Tono!"

Just then, Hikaru forced himself to sit up on his bed as he stared intently at Tamaki, whose eyes slightly widened. He didn't expect Hikaru to suddenly shoot up like that, looking more stressed than ever.

"It's my baby she's carrying, and I haven't been able to do anything to help her at all during her entire pregnancy! You and the other guys have been helping her more and doing a better job than I have by miles! In fact, all I've done is make everything worse! In her first months, I didn't even have a clue that she was pregnant, and when I finally did, it was only to find out that she miscarried! I know she told me that it had to have happened long before our trip, but I could've killed akachan by forcing her on that ride!

"Then after that and after I swore I would help her, I make the mistake of going away for the next couple months and leaving her alone! Yeah, I might've done a lot for her and akachan while I was away, but that couldn't compare to actually _being _there by her side that whole time, which I could've if I had just gotten the willpower to cut the drinking before that! I'm such an idiot! Then when I get back, I can't even stop _her_of all people from drinking! I know that it was just because the punch was spiked and that no one had any idea or could've realized in the first place, but she and akachan are both my responsibilites now and I felt that I should've been able to stop that somehow because one or both of them could've really gotten hurt!

"And now, I don't even know how the hell I'm gonna handle all of this crap because I'm not able to keep my big mouth shut for one minute! She's going away for months now and once again, I can't be there by her side when she might need me! We can't even decide if we're gonna keep our own child or give him up because she was right...I'm really not thinking about what's best for him."

Getting tired from his speech, Hikaru fell back down onto his bed and began cooling down a bit. Tamaki's expression softened again as he watched Hikaru weakly falling onto his pillow, breathing heavily and wiping the sweat off his forehead. Tamaki would've begin speaking again in comfort, but Hikaru was _still_ not done and beat him to it.

"I hate to admit it, but...maybe Haruhi's right...now that I think about it, maybe we really aren't ready to be parents...akachan only deserves the very best. What would it be like if his parents aren't able to be around all the time and were always fighting? And worst of all, it's not even like his mom's _in love_ with his dad anyway...dammit...I don't want to give him up, and I don't want to lose him, but...I don't know, and soon...I'm gonna run out of time..."

"Mm, I think I get it now," Tamaki said comfortingly as he placed a hand on Hikaru's shoulder. Hikaru simply looked up at him, the sadness easily noticeable in both of their eyes. "Well, there's not really much I can tell you, Hikaru, other than to get the courage to just say all this to Haruhi. She's understanding, and I'm sure she'll listen if you really try talking it out calmly next time." Tamaki resisited the urge to tell Hikaru that he was wrong about the 'in love' part, but he knew that was something Haruhi had to do on her own, but that definitely could make everything easier.

Hikaru gave his sempai a small smile, honestly appreciating him for once. Unfortunately, before he could even think about thanking him or giving any sort of response, the door into the bedroom slammed right open. Both of them turned their heads towards the door in curiosity. Hikaru sat up instantly again as they both stared in surprise at who it was, who was trying to catch her breath after apparently running up to get to them in the first place.

"Anne-Sophie-san?" Hikaru asked, watching her pant while holding onto the door frame for support just to stand up.

"Mother?"

After Hikaru had officially hired her and had given her enough advanced pay to cover both her medical expenses and a few months worth of rent on a pretty lavish, fully-furnished apartment, he hadn't seen her too much. Tamaki (in secret) had been able visit her and spend time with her, but neither expected her to show up at Hikaru's party today, much less think that she'd be running up to the bedroom for who-knows-what.

"Hikaru...René...it's terrible...the press was outside the manor, bombarding Haruhi with questions...there were so many..."

That statement right there shocked both guys to the core. Hikaru did eventually find out about the article, but as he had said countless times, he didn't really give a damn. Yeah, he felt bad about his mom's rep going slightly downhill, but he figured that everything would end up alright and that he didn't care whoever it was that publishing that crap. (Well, technically, since it _was_true, it wasn't really crap, but whatever.) He was surprised, however, that the press was actually at his house. Unlike Tamaki and Kyoya's families, his wasn't nearly as highly regarded and that had never been a problem before.

Usually, he would've just brushed this off and acted like he didn't care, but he and Tamaki bolted out of the room asap the second Anne-Sophie finished.

"And then when people started shoving one another...one guy let his camera slip out of his hands...and it hit Haruhi head-on!"

* * *

"That's right! All of you better go now and leave my friends alone from now on, got it? You're all a bunch of meanies!"

"Mitsukuni, they're gone. Plus, they're all scum, not worth yelling at."

"I guess you're right, Takashi. Hopefully I showed them though! And hopefully, Haru-chan's gonna be okay..."

"I'm sure she will, Mitsukuni. We shouldn't have anything to worry about." With those comforting words, Mori playfully ruffled Honey's hair. Both of them, now outside the manor, watched as guests began leaving to go home in distress of all the current events, Kyoya spoke to some of his family's private police force, and a couple paramedics who arrived by helicopter carefully placed Haruhi onto a gurney...again.

After Hikaru had snatched her away to talk with her after she made her announcement, no one really knew what to think or do, so the party pretty much resumed, though there was really only one topic of discussion at that point. The other hosts didn't really know what to do but wait in silence. They didn't exactly have a great feeling as to what was going on with the two newlyweds. After some time, everyone was shocked to see Haruhi in tears, running right down the staircase to head out the door. A few people tried comforting her, but she brushed them all away as she ran. Tamaki, one of those few people who failed to get her to stop, suddenly had the urge to head up the staircase himself. Kyoya tried asking him where he was going, but got no reply. It was pretty obvious anyway.

What quickly got his attention away from Tamaki was the noise coming from outside the door when Haruhi opened it and ran out. Curious, the remaining three hosts hurried outside as well and were absolutely stunned when they saw the ridiculous number of people with cameras and recorders, attempting to get something out of Haruhi, who was terrified and tried her best to get away, but with no success. Just as Anne-Sophie had said, things started to get crazy and one guy ended up letting his camera slip right out of his hands and it hit Haruhi right in the head, knocking her right out. The hosts sprinted right out to her aid. Thankfully, she didn't land on her stomach, but Kyoya, who immediately rushed to her side, noticed she had a pretty bad concussion.

As quickly as he went to her aid, Honey and Mori quickly whipped out the martial arts on a couple guys who were still trying to get to her. That was more than plenty to get them to scram, but Kyoya still whipped out his phone to call a few of his private police to guard the area and a few paramedics to check up on Haruhi.

At that moment, Kyoya quickly made a crucial decision. He realized that these people were not going away, at least not anytime soon, and the incident that just occurred proved that Haruhi was now in danger. Hikaru could try to ignore them all he wanted; that wouldn't solve anything. After calling the paramedics and giving them instructions to fly Haruhi to her apartment after examining her condition, he got Ranka on the phone. After explaining the situation and calming down the poor tranny, whose daughter had been going through way more than she deserved, Kyoya instructed him to pack up Haruhi's stuff and get her a ticket to the U.S. for the soonest flight possible so she could leave Japan today. (He assured him that he'd pay for everything, including the ticket, and said that she could stay in a manor his family owned in the U.S. And after deciding that she wanted to go for the program anyway, Haruhi had gotten a passport sometime earlier that week, so there were no issues with her leaving that day.) Kyoya knew that this was very drastic and very sudden, not to mention Hikaru was sure to not like the idea, but it was only in Haruhi's best interest.

After talking with his police, Kyoya turned his attention to the paramedics, who had Haruhi strapped securely and were ready to bring her into the helicopter.

"Thank you very much. Now make sure you drop her off at that address I gave you when you're finished checking her," Kyoya ordered them. They agreed and began loading her into the helicopter.

"Kyoya! What happened?"

"**Haruhi! No!**"

Kyoya, Honey, and Mori whipped around quickly after hearing the voices of the other two hosts, who, along with Anne-Sophie, blasted right out of the manor to where they were all were. Tamaki and Anne-Sophie approached Kyoya immediately, Tamaki beginning to freak out in front of him, while Hikaru ran right to Haruhi's side and began weeping as he tried to keep up with the paramedics who began wheeling her away.

"Kyoya, is everything alright? What just happened?" Tamaki began asking him fearfully as he began panting to death.

"I'll explain everything to you in more detail later, Tamaki, but please calm down. The press is all gone now and Haruhi's going to be okay, but she's obviously not safe staying here for a while."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious? The press isn't going to be leaving her or Hikaru alone anytime soon, so it might be best that she does go to the U.S. for this program, but she's going to be leaving a bit earlier now. The quicker she leaves Japan, the better."

"If that's the case, I'm going with her!" Kyoya and Tamaki turned around to see Hikaru, who clearly heard everything the Shadow King just said. He breathed hard as he ran over to them, tired to the point of passing out himself.

"Hikaru, that's not a good idea. In the U.S., she won't be as recognizable as she is here now, but you might be and I'm positive that the American press will do anything to get to you, then to her once they see you guys together, making this whole operationmeaningless to do," Kyoya told him sternly.

"**No!**I can't be away from her anymore! She needs me!" Hikaru cried, the distressed look on his face not getting any calmer. He turned towards the helicopter, which was about ready to fly off with his Haruhi. Hikaru stared hopelessly at it began taking off. "I should at least get to say goodbye..."

"You'll be able to call her soon. Hikaru, it'll be okay, I just know that-" Tamaki had placed his hand comfortingly on Hikaru's shoulder again and tried consoling him again, but Hikaru smacked it away, surprising both Tamaki and Kyoya, along with Honey, Mori, and Anne-Sophie, who were all watching at that point.

"Just shut up, Tono! My life is screwed up now, so just leave me alone! I'm going home now and I want you all to just leave me alone from now on! You all suck and I hate you all so much!"

After making his little outburst, which drew everyone's attention to him if it wasn't already, he ran right into a nearby limo that was parked conveniently in the driveway. After ordering the driver to take him to his house, the hosts watched sadly as the limo took off.

Despite the darkened windows, the hosts could easily guess that behind them, Hikaru was flooding the inside of the vehicle with his tears.


	29. Alone

(A/N: Yay! 9,000+ hits! But anyway, sorry if this one's kinda dull, shorter, and seems like a filler, but seriously, I think these poor people deserve a break from all the drama and injury [both emotionally and physically]. I did decide to try something different with this chapter, so it's a lot more descriptive than usual [but hopefully not in a boring way], but I _really _hope it's enjoyable to some extent anyway.

Also, I have a new poll up, and I'd _really, really_ appreciate it if you guys could please go to my profile and take a second to give me your opinion! It's just out of my own curiosity, but I'd greatly appreciate it! :D

And another also, I usually don't make music suggestions with chapters, but I recommend Bob Acri's "Sleep Away" [a very nice piano ballad] with this chapter.)

* * *

It was a bright, lovely, breezy late-July morning, but Haruhi really couldn't have cared less about how nice a day it was going to be, nor had she for about the last two months.

The glare of the sunlight, coming in through the glass doors that led out to a nice balcony with a view of the Atlantic, nearly blinded Haruhi as she lay in the gigantic king-sized bed in the gigantic, lavish bedroom she had been sleeping in every night for all that time. She groaned as the light hit her. She wasn't exactly in the mood to be getting up this early during the summer, though who really would? Then again, she was in the middle of a program that did in fact, take place during the summer. But every morning, she had to wonder why she wanted to do it _so _badly, then reminded herself that waking up so early was only a small sacrifice.

Compared to a few other things (and by things, it's really people) she was giving up that summer, waking up early was literally nada to her.

"Man, that time already...?" she groggily asked herself as she struggled to open her eyes and resist staying in bed for too much longer, since it was about that time. "Uh, might as well get up now. Can't ever hurt to be ready too early. Well, in my case, it _literally_ might, but still..."

As she was about to get up and out of bed, which had become strenuous to her, she froze for a second as she looked at the clock on her nightstand. It read 6:43, 7/28, a _Saturday_. Back into bed for her. But unfortunately, even underneath the comfy covers and with blocking out the sunlight the best she could, falling back to sleep ended up proving impossible, which somewhat bummed her out. As she attempted to fall back (and failed), she pondered life as she lay there, getting bored.

Thinking about her life only bummed her out even more.

_"Haruhi? Haruhi! Honey, wake up! Are you okay?"_

_"Ugh, man...Dad? Is that you? What happened?"_

_"Haruhi! You're okay! Thank goodness!"_

_"Dad! Put me down! What happened? Last I remember, there were a bunch of people surrounding me, asking me all sorts of questions, then something hit my head...God, does it hurt really bad right now..."_

_"I know, honey. But hurry up, we have to leave soon!"_

_"Wait, leave?"_

When it was a bit past eight, Haruhi officially gave up and accepted the fact that she was wide awake. Getting out of bed (and noticing that her feet had officially disappeared when she looked down after standing up), she slowly and _very_ tiredly headed to the equally extravagant master bathroom, where she showered and did all the morning cleaning up stuff as quickly as she could. Things that would usually be routine to pretty much anyone felt like the absolute most strenuous labor to her now, but she was strong. Fighting back her daily urges to complain, she got by and reminded herself that it would be worth it in the end.

Finishing up and putting on a robe and house slippers, she exited the bathroom and went into the walk-in closet, where several Hitachiin maternity originals were hanging. She smiled as she looked through everything. Hikaru would be totally ecstatic to know that she did actually love a lot of the stuff he made her so long ago and that she actually wore it every day.

Hikaru...

The living Hitachiin twin...

That 'doppleganger' who loved messing with everyone, especially her...

A guy in her class...

A fellow host...

One of her dearest friends...

Her accidental husband...

The equally accidental father of her baby...

The guy she never intended to fall in love with...

Haruhi stopped looking for something to wear for a moment. Her smile disappeared. She never realized how many things he was to her, and how significant he would become in her life. That thought saddened her, considering the cumulative amount of time they've been apart from each other since Kaoru died.

_"But Dad, the program doesn't start for another month. Just turn the car around because there's no point in me going out of the country _now_. I promise you that I'll be fine and stay away from the press."_

_"I know you would, honey, but Kyoya had a good point, so it's not a bad idea for you to head over to the U.S. as soon as possible. It's for your own good."_

_"But Dad, I still need to finish the rest of the school term."_

_"Don't worry, the rest of your work and tests will be sent to you once you arrive to the manor. Alright, we're here now. We have to hurry, 'cause your flight leaves in about forty minutes now."_

_"But I didn't even get to say goodbye to anyone!"_

_"I'm sorry, Haruhi, but we really have to hurry!"_

"Hmm, I haven't worn anything orange in some time...orange...just like how Hikaru designed the nursery..." As Haruhi went for a sleeveless, bright orange dress, she paused for a moment, but quickly shrugged off the thought as she took it off the hanger, found a suitable pair of shoes and accessories, and dressed herself. She tried desperately not to think about anything pertaining to him, but it was virtually possible for _anything_ to remind her of him, sadly enough.

After officially finishing up getting ready for that day, she stepped in front of the mirror and admired Hikaru's dress and how good she looked in it. She almost forgot why she had such a huge dislike for dresses and overall girly things. Yeah, she didn't think that looks were ever as important as 'what was inside' (which would probably always be her belief), but with all the dresses she'd have no choice but to wear lately, she realized it was never a _bad_ thing necessarily to look good. And of course did _she _look good. But despite her diminishing dislike for girly things, she still wanted to keep her hair at the boys' length she had for so long since it was so much easier to manage and wasn't crazy about make-up.

Really short hair or not (and even dress or not), there was definitely no mistaking her gender anymore. (At least one would hope anyway, otherwise the person who would think she was a guy would have to be a complete moron who never took or paid attention in Bio.) Going into her seventh month, she sighed as she looked at how much bigger she had gotten since she left Japan. It was a good thing, though. Baby Hitachiin was still healthy and developing on schedule, a thought that made her happy and relieved as she, after finishing with getting dress, headed downstairs, only to be greeted by the mansion's overbearing staff.

"Good morning, Haruhi-sama!" each one of them (mainly maids) greeted her as she walked downstairs.

Per Kyoya's orders, they all obediently attended to her when called on, which, considering this was Haruhi, wasn't very often. Living in such a place with a full staff was such a foreign concept to her and was overwhelming initially (and she still sweatdropped and smiled nervously every now and then when she was referred to with '-sama'), but she adjusted and learned to embrace it, but she still tried hard not to overindulge into it all, just because that wasn't who she was.

"Good morning," she brightly greeted them back, trying to give each of them back a similar bright smile, but since arriving, there was still always a part of her deep inside that was always sad, considering all that had been going on. She she also tried to shrug off that thought as she arrived in the kitchen and ate a menial portion of the enormous amount of food the kitchen staff had laid out for her in the dining room.

_"There she is! There's Haruhi Hitachiin! Mrs. Hitachiin, over here!"_

_"What's this I hear about you and your husband fighting a lot about?"_

_"Is it true that you guys might be splitting up already when you only got married less than a week ago?"_

_"Come on! Seriously? How did they find us here?"_

_"I don't know, Haruhi, but hurry up and get on the plane! I promise you that it'll be alright!"_

_"But Dad-"_

_"__**Go!**__ Security can hold them off for you until you're boarded! You'll be safe once you take off!"_

_"...But...I..."_

After eating (and begging the staff to allow her out of the house, which they often didn't do because of Kyoya's directions), she grabbed her bag and decided to look around town. Since arriving, she hadn't had much of a chance to look at the area and see what it really entailed. _Now _she began to appreciate what a nice day it was once she got outside and took in some of the fresh air. After getting into one of the limos that was nicely parked outside the mansion with a couple others (which seemed pointless to her, since she was the mansion's sole occupant at the time), she asked the driver to take her to any nice nearby shopping areas. Heeding her request, the driver took off; Haruhi gazed out the window and, for one of the first times in some time, smiled a genuinely bright smile at the lovely view of the town as they drove off. It was somewhat nice to get a change of scenery for once in her life and truly get away from the craziness of her regular life.

_'The life which will no longer exist in about two months time, hell, it might already be considered gone,' _she thought as the limo kept on going. She wasn't as saddened by this thought as she was just flat-out astounded.

Usually, she would be at home studying, doing chores, taking care of her dad, being harassed by the host club, etc., but that certainly wasn't this summer's case. She had honestly been enjoying her time in Boston, being able to study without _any _sort of distractions for once, but while she got along with other kids (who weren't nearly as judgmental of her condition as she expected), but didn't really get that close to them, so she did feel somewhat lonely without her friends around to bug her all day. Yeah, they frequently texted and called her (and demanded pictures of her in every kawaii outfit she wore), but it wasn't the same, especially since Hikaru was almost never included. That was just another thing she had to just brush off.

_"Haruhi! Please tell me you're okay!"_

_"Yeah, I'm fine. The plane is about to take off and I'm supposed to be turning my phone off soon. I'm surprised you're even talking to me, Hikaru."_

_"That's not the point! I was worried to death when I heard what happened to you! Are you _positive _that you and akachan are okay?"_

_"Yes, please calm down now! It'll be alright, but I need to go, so goodbye-"_

_"Wait! Haruhi, I just wanted to...to..."_

_"Not this again, Hikaru. I've had enough of you insulting me every time we speak, so-"_

_"I'm sorry!"_

_"...Wait, what?"_

_"Look, I...I'm sorry...for everything. I shouldn't have called you stupid or yelled at you, period. But I meant it, if you really want to go, then it's alright. Just...please, be careful. I'll die if anything happens to either of you! I love you both so much and I'll miss you, seriously!"_

_"Hikaru...I...*gulp*...I'll miss you to...and...I lo-"_

_"Miss, we're about to take off."_

_"I'm sorry, m'am. Hikaru, um...goodbye..."_

_"Goodbye then, Haruhi." *phone beeps*_

_"...I love you, too..." *phone snaps shut*_

For the first time in the last couple months, Haruhi felt like she was ready to tear up, but that day replayed in her mind enough to where she wasn't as tempted to cry each time as much. They hadn't talked many times at all since. As much as she wanted to, it just proved to be too hard, knowing he was so far away from her when she just wanted him by her side all the time. Yet another reason she occasionally regretted her decision to come to the U.S., but there wasn't really any turning back now anyway.

There were still questions that rang through her mind every now and then, though: Why was it so hard to just say those three all-powerful words to him? Well, first off, it wasn't as special over the phone, especially since it would've been the first time she would've told him, but still. While she could now say they were on pretty good terms again, she still wished she could've told him before she left. She also regretted ridding of her ring, one of the only things she had that still bonded her to him in some way, but alas. No point in dwelling on it all now.

Once the limo arrived at Newbury Street, Haruhi quickly perked up and was amazed at how lovely the outdoor shopping district they arrived at was. It definitely would save her from her usual boredom for a few hours at least. After stepping out of the limo, she told the driver to come back in a few hours, so he took off and left her to check out the area.

It wasn't near packed or anything, but she did pass by several people who were hanging around, going about their own business as she strolled down the sidewalk. Like back at home whenever she went out in public, she could only keep her head up high and brush off the occasional dirty looks she got from a few people who had the nerve to judge her. Like she always did, she did her best to not care about what others thought, but sometimes there was something inside her that wanted to yell out that she didn't actually do anything wrong, but she brushed off those feelings and went on. Who cared about what ignorant people who had the nerve to shoot her such judgmental glances thought?

Aside from said people, she honestly enjoyed herself as she went on by, glancing at certain stores' window displays as she passed them. She knew that she'd have to get everyone souvenirs from all the high-end stores here just before she'd leave, which, considering the generous amount of money Kyoya sent her (along with her school work for the rest of the previous school term), would be easy to do. Keeping that in mind, and not even being that much of a shopper to begin with, she didn't really have the urge to go inside any place she had passed by; plus, after only about under an hour of walking, she already felt extremely tired.

"One please, and in a cone," she asked the ice cream vendor. Thankfully, her English had greatly improved since arriving and she was near fluency, but still needed work. Nevertheless, the vendor smiled brightly at her and handed her the cone. "Thank you very much, sir."

After paying and taking the ice cream from him, she found a bench near a fancy-looking fountain and began eating. It was so peaceful to her; for once, literally not worrying about anything, not school, chores, any other responsibilities, taking care of her dad, the host club, nada. A part of her was loving it as the sun shined brightly above her, but not too much. It couldn't have been a more relaxing day.

"Mm, this is really good! Definitely better than that ice cream Hikaru and I got at Karuizawa," she said to herself as she licked the ice cream. The smile on her face disappeared and she stopped licking momentarily.

Karuizawa...

The place where she and Hikaru had there first real fight...

And then their first date, which was also her first one period...

Where they ate ice cream among other foods...

And hung out...

And had a good time...

And where he comforted her during the storm...

Where she felt so protected because he was by her side...

Ironically, that's exactly where she was just a year ago from this day.

_'Wow...a year ago, when I was there with the guys...I never even considered for one second that I'd be where I am and in the state I'm in now,'_ she thought to herself as she stared at the cone in almost a state of awe.

At this point in which it had been so long since everything began to change, it was only normal that she finally got used to and became accepting of all that was happening to her. Of course, with that thought in mind, it once again all became totally surreal. Just a year ago, if she was thinking about it, she would've seen herself a year from then studying, preparing for the new school term, doing chores at home, getting harassed by the host club, still _single _without any children on the way, something along those lines. And of course, Kaoru would have been a part of it all.

But no. Every single time she thought about how things _could've been_ or were _supposed to be_, she had to slap herself back into reality and accept how things were really going: Kaoru was _gone_, she was miles and miles away from the host club (and missing them), she was _married _to none other than Hikaru, she unintentionally fell in love with him, and she was pregnant with his baby.

But right now, she had to admit, as off-track as her life had gone, she really did accept it all now, no matter how stressful it all was sometimes. As wrong as it all seemed, it all happened already for one reason or another and there was no way to change anything. Haruhi even had to admit that for the most part, she wouldn't change anything, because despite the craziness of it all, she had a good feeling it would all be okay. Though whatever the reasons were, for some reason, and at only sixteen nonetheless, she was supposed to get married to Hikaru and fall in love with him, she was supposed to be carrying the life that was inside of her, and (while she hated it) was supposed to be far away from him and her friends for so long.

Despite acceptance of all this, she did obviously hate the last one though. A lot. And after two months, she was surprised that she hadn't broken down or gone crazy from not having her friends, especially Hikaru, around, since she was beginning to get lonely.

She tried ridding of these thoughts and cheering up again as she continued eating, but to no avail. As she was eating, she was shocked and nearly froze when she suddenly felt a couple strong kicks. She stopped licking again and lightly gasped as she felt them; since arriving to the U.S., she realized how she hadn't felt akachan moving around nearly as much as usual. Now that she really thought about it, akachan always kicked a great deal whenever Hikaru was nearby. (She really wasn't kidding the other day when trying to make conversation with him.) It was so weird to her, but at that moment, she began to be able to make sense of this unusual phenomenon with her baby as she sadly looked down at and affectionately rubbed her belly.

"I know, baby...I miss Daddy too..." she said quietly, trying to be strong and not cry for once in the last several months.

She didn't ever think it would actually happen, but finally after all this time, she was able to envision her, Hikaru, and their baby, living happily together. Also finally, adoption was starting to sound very unappealing.

* * *

Back in Japan, Hikaru wasn't feeling any better, but was actually starting to take a completely different stand on the whole akachan issue.

"Thank you so much, Suzuki-san. She won't be back for about a month, but you'll be able to meet her then. She's a very smart, responsible girl and I know you and your husband will like her. Our baby is due in about two months, and she told me that it's gonna be a boy, so I'm sure you guys are pretty happy about that and being able to have a male successor. ...Thank you so much again. I know you guys will only be the best parents to him. I'll see you in about a month with my wife to discuss and finalize everything."

Hanging up, Hikaru exhaled heavily as he slumped against a wall in the kitchen. He absent-mindedly stared up at the ceiling, thinking about what he just did. As Futeki excitedly ran up to him barking and began tugging on his pant leg, Hikaru kneeled down to his level to pet him, but despite the puppy's absolute cuteness, he found it hard to smile at him.

"Did I do the right thing, Futeki? Then again, is anything that's going on anymore right?" he asked the canine seriously. Futeki stopped wagging his tail and panting and sat down in front of his master, moaning loudly. Hikaru couldn't resist chuckling at his response. Dogs could be so unintentionally funny sometimes. "Hmm, thought so." With that, he got up off the floor and began heading upstairs, his companion following closely behind. Along with what he had just done, he also, like he had been for months now, pondered everything that had happened since his wife was whisked away right out of his life.

Obviously, the rest of the school term was close to pure hell to him. There was next to nothing to look forward to with Haruhi gone and studying for exams without her was less than ideal. Still pretty peeved at the others, he made a point to avoid Tamaki and Kyoya in the hallways as much as possible and ignored any of their, Honey's, and Mori's greetings, calls, texts, e-mails, etc. for a good amount of time. Even now, two months since his dreadful birthday party, he barely communicated with them period, his anger towards them slowly turning into a subtle state of depression.

_"Hey, Hikaru! Please wait for a minute, please!"_

_"Leave me alone, Tono!"_

_"Man, he still won't talk to us."_

_"Unfortunately, but still, we didn't have a choice, Tamaki. It was in Haruhi's best interest."_

_"I know, but still, poor Hikaru doesn't deserve all this anymore..."_

Once school had finally gotten out, he basically went back to being a hermit, just like he was just after Kaoru's funeral. Though no one was actually dead, the pain was just the same to Hikaru and was almost unbearable. In his mind, Haruhi and akachan were all he felt worth living for anymore with his twin gone for good. Now that they were kind of gone, he was deep in a melancholy and hadn't a clue what to do with himself anymore. Hang out with his friends? Like hell would that really make him feel better; he still obviously had a grudge problem, so that was out of the question. He was basically all done with all the baby stuff he knew he needed to do, so that was out the window as well. He was able to get in that one call with Haruhi before her plane took off and also felt that they were back on good terms, but it felt too painful to contact her ever since. He just wanted her there next to him; that was all he felt he needed. By now, he definitely would've tried sneaking onto a plane, but he knew how right Kyoya was and dreaded the idea of putting Haruhi in anymore danger or news releases for that matter. All in all, in his mind, he was left with nothing for the entire summer break. Never once did he think he'd ever have the desire to bother with alcohol ever again; that said, the desire did somewhat return, but he had the willpower now.

In such a state of melancholy in which he couldn't find anything that would make him happy, all he could do was take care of Futeki like he promised Honey and Mori and think about everything. With so much time to really take everything into consideration, he took the time to _really _see everything from Haruhi's point of view and come to understand that _never_ was she being selfish. He knew that she would only want to do what was best for akachan, even if it wasn't what she would've wanted. For all he knew, she might've really wanted to keep their child, but she wouldn't do it if it wasn't the best thing for him. And as much as it killed him, Hikaru also realized that for all he knew, she still might not necessarily be in love with him. She did get rid of her ring after all (which he began wearing on top of his own wedding ring). Yeah, she was angry and such an action could've just come from her impatience with him, but still. He couldn't stand the fact that he was so demanding and thoughtless about what was really in everyone's best interests.

As he walked up the stairs, he stopped right in front of and frowned at the door that led into the nursery. Sighing, he slowly opened it up and took in his surroundings. It was quite a sight and any baby would be lucky to have such a nice room. The effort put into the place was obvious and any parent would love having his and/or her little angel occupying it. It was a good reflection about how desperate Hikaru was to make this all work out and show that he was ready to step up to the plate and be akachan's father.

_'Still...'_ he thought to himself as he walked into the room, admiring his work. _'...I think...I had probably gone in over my head when doing all of this initially. I thought I had everything figured out, but God, was I delusional.'_

He went over to the rocking chair that was sitting nicely by the window and ran his hand over the finishing on one of the arms. Feeling mentally tired from all the negotiations he was just doing with his mom's friend and fellow designer (who was a very kind and caring woman who was, in fact, infertile), he fell into the chair and stared up at the ceiling again as he thought about his decision more.

He didn't want to admit it, but Haruhi was right. She was right the entire time. So what if he had more than enough money? What if he was able to get them all the best of everything, literally? What if he did have them prepped enough for this? And of course, yeah, he did love them both with all his heart and would do absolutely anything and everything under the sun. Still, despite that, he knew that he had been kidding himself all this time. With all his immaturity, frequent impoliteness towards others, condescending nature, tendency to emotional breakdowns and being difficult, occasional unwillingness to do what was necessary at times, not to mention his age, all wrapped up together, he realized that Haruhi was more than right. He truly wasn't ready for this, at least not as ready as he convinced himself he was.

_'I don't like any of this, not one teeny, tiny, microscopic bit of it...'_ he thought frustratingly to himself as he sat up, looking over specifically at a giraffe plushie that was sitting happily on top of a nearby dresser.

Without moving his body one inch, he reached out to grab it. After looking at how cute it was for a moment, still having a morose expression on his face, he rested up against the back of the chair and hugged it closely to his chest. Like Haruhi, he refused to cry any longer, but it was a huge struggle, considering what was now going to happen.

_'...but I have no choice. I love my and Haruhi's child...so, so, so, so much...which is why he only deserves the absolute best...and I'm not even close to that...'_


	30. Nobody's Fool

(A/N: Okay, as some of you _might_ be able to tell, I got a little inspiration from _Hitchhiker's_ with the beginning of this one. That said, I'm overall not crazy about how I wrote this one and it was _far_ from easy to write, but it's def an important chapter and I couldn't think of any other ways to do it.

Also, _please_ take my poll! It won't take that long, I promise! I just really wanna know your guys' opinions! :( )

* * *

"...May I help you gentlemen?"

Hikaru gave said gentlemen, not having seen or communicated with them in the last couple months at all, who were standing in front of him a glazed look and spoke in a tone that sounded completely monotonous; usually being so neurotic, it wasn't like him in the least. He was far from ecstatic to see the four of them, but at the same time, he wasn't too pissed at them anymore, so his expression didn't really give off any sort of emotion he was feeling, if he was at all in the first place.

The guys standing right outside his door noticed this expression, but didn't really worry all that much about it. Two were smiling jovially, one was expressionless, and one was striving to look professional. Yeah, nothing new here. Well, save for the fact that they were all carrying various large shopping bags, filled to the top with who-really-knew-what; the only indication as to what they could've possibly been was that they looked very colorful from what Hikaru could kind of tell. He didn't really give a damn about it though. He just wanted to know whatever the hell they wanted was and for them to scram as quickly as possible.

He was still obviously peeved, but had begun cooling off a bit since last seeing them. Plus, his recent melancholic feelings did slightly put out the flames of his anger.

"Come on, Hika-chan! You couldn't have forgotten already!" Hikaru raised an eyebrow at the boy-lolita's statement. "We have to get ready for your and Haru-chan's baby shower! Once she gets back from America, she's gonna be _so_ surprised and _so_ happy when she sees everything we're gonna-!"

Hikaru's eyebrow descended at that second statement from his sempai, then he slammed the door right in their faces. Any expressions they all had on a second ago were replaced by ones of confoundment.

"Uh, is something wrong, Hikaru? I thought you were starting to feel better by now! Come on now, don't be like that!" Tamaki laughed nervously as he stretched his arm out to open the door.

"_Don't. Touch. The doorknob. Baka. Tono._" Hikaru's icy tone made Tamaki and Honey shiver with each caustic word that came out of his mouth from behind the front door. (Kyoya and Mori were obviously unfazed, but still took note of it.) Suffice to say he apparently wasn't one hundred percent better yet.

"Hikaru, you're starting to act even more unreasonably than you have been recently," Kyoya began after muttering something to himself, trying to project loudly enough for Hikaru to hear him from inside. "You've been locked up in this house for months, not doing anything the slightest bit productive, which isn't exactly the smartest idea considering you have less than two months now before you'll be stuck with a baby on your hands. I suggest you let us in now and allow us to help you out, since you seem to be in a state in which you need it the most. If not, we aren't afraid to use brutal force at this point."

"Go ahead. I'm not scared of you, Kyoya-sempai." Kyoya slightly winced at Hikaru's continuous use of that tone, but shrugged it off and adjusted his glasses before continuing, an evil smirk coming across his face. The fact that Kyoya always gets what he wants no matter what didn't occur to Hikaru at that moment.

"Well, I don't know about you, Hikaru, but I'd be quite afraid right about now, that is, if your house means anything to you."

Hikaru, despite not exactly wanting to converse with them at the moment, had been standing with his back against the front door the entire time, waiting patiently for them to go the hell away. But with that statement, along with some loud beeping and quaking of the ground (which seemed weird to Hikaru), Kyoya was able to get his attention.

_'Oh geez...what are they trying to do out there? How desperate are they to just talk to me?' _he thought exhaustively to himself as he rolled his eyes, moaning as he slowly made his way to look out one of the windows on one of the sides of the front door. He'd be kidding himself if he said (or thought) that he wasn't the teeniest bit nervous as to what Kyoya could've been planning, but he didn't think that whatever the Shadow King was threatening him with could've been _that_ bad.

He looked out the window. As his mind fully came to absorb what was going on, he quickly realized that he certainly had a reason to be nervous...and in addition, totally freak out.

"**Kyoya-sempai! What the hell is wrong with you!**" Hikaru screamed bloody murder to the heavens (and at the rest of the guys) as he slammed the door right back open. Kyoya simply kept a conniving, content look on his face as he saw how red Hikaru was turning and the steam practically coming out of his ears.

It's pretty certain that any and all people would be just as outraged as Hikaru was at this moment if they saw a large group of construction workers sitting patiently in their bulldozers and with their wrecking balls ready, surrounding the houses of innocent civilians, just waiting to tear them down at the command of their employer. Though a little more severe than usual on his part, Kyoya certainly did know how to get what he wanted at literally any cost.

* * *

"Kyoya-sempai...don't you think that was just a _teensy _bit too much...even for you...?" Hikaru, after allowing them into his house in order to avoid having it decimated, twitched as they were all hanging out in his living room drinking tea or 'commoners' coffee' for the time being.

Yeah, he might've been avoiding them for an unreasonable amount of time when all they wanted to do what help him and make him feel better, but calling in a whole group of construction workers to tear down a home at the drop of a hat seemed beyond extreme. Hikaru thought something similar to this as he kept a cautious gaze on the entire group, now wanting to be prepared for anything they might possibly pull; but seriously, at this point, they got what they wanted, so there really wasn't anymore reason to be afraid. Still, Hikaru watched them all like a hawk as they were all just hanging out, nothing unusual going on. Despite not being among others, Tamaki still kept his usual etiquette as he drank his 'commoners' coffee', Honey ate the cake he brought as he was petting an energetic Futeki, Mori was being Mori, and Kyoya was returning Hikaru's comment with his usual calm, serious demeanor.

"Hikaru, I certainly hope you didn't think I would ever even consider demolishing your house. It was merely just for convincing you to let us talk to you," Kyoya said in the bluntest manner possible as he set his cup down on the coffee table. "Plus, it was Tamaki's idea after all. He was the most desperate to finally get you to talk to us." Hikaru immediately shifted his glare from Kyoya to his Tono, who innocently shrugged.

"Ugh, okay, fine, you all got your wish, so can you just go now? There's nothing to even talk about at this point, especially concerning any baby shower, since there's not gonna be one," Hikaru groaned irritatedly.

"Aw, but Hikaru! We just _have_ to have one in honor of the host club's newest little prince! We just _have _to! Come on! Even though Haruhi's program might not end in time for her to come back, she said that all her American friends were throwing her one, so it's only fair that we do one for you! We just _have _to!" Tamaki dashed right over in front of Hikaru, who was sitting across from him and Kyoya, got on his knees, and gave him the puppy eyes while woofing as cutely as possible. Hikaru wasn't fazed.

In fact, just at the continuous mentions of the shower only made him sadder on the inside, but they weren't even aware of what he had done not too long ago. Kyoya couldn't have been more wrong earlier when he assummed that Hikaru hadn't been doing anything productive since he began avoiding them.

"I'm sorry Tono, but there's not point," Hikaru said as he patted him sempai on the head, like he would to Futeki. Tamaki whimpered before retreating back to his seat on the couch next to Kyoya. "There's not gonna be any shower, unfortunately, because just last a couple weeks, I...decided to go with Haruhi's plan and...well, everything's officially set up now. All I need is for both of us to sign off on everything and it'll all be done."

At that statement, everyone stopped whatever they were doing and directed all their attention on him, eyes slightely widened in complete shock.

"Hika-chan, what are you talking about...?" Honey asked, obviously the most oblivious as to what Hikaru was really saying while everyone else had a pretty good idea, but they weren't even completely sure or wanted to be right about what they were thinking Hikaru could've meant.

Honey was already confused, but seeing everyone else's grim-looking expressions, felt a little saddened. He felt almost on the verge of tears when he saw Hikaru exhale heavily and his head drop right into his hands as he began trembling, unable to find the strength to just say it directly. It hurt too much.

"Don't you get it you idiot? I'm giving up my and Haruhi's child for adoption after he's born, Honey-sempai! It's what Haruhi wanted all along and now she'll be getting it!" Hikaru yelled right at Honey as he shot right up out of his seat. This little outrage surprised everyone to the core even more now. Honey, upon hearing this, burst into tears, as expected. Mori knew that Honey would react that way and that it would be painful to watch him cry, but he'd have know one way or another.

Despite his stoic demeanor and initially not thinking adoption was a bad way to go, Mori, like Honey, was also saddened by this. Especially when for so long, it seemed set in stone that Hikaru was unrelenting about giving up akachan for adoption. But now that that wasn't the case, it was just a complete shock to everyone. Mori was also somewhat saddened because it was obvious that Hikaru had been responsible about taking care of Futeki; the plan didn't go in the way he and Honey thought it would at all. Not that their faith in Hikaru was _that_ low, but they were surprised with how well he had taken care of his new companion, so who were they to say that he'd be any less responsible with a baby?

"But Hika-chan, you can't! You just can't! We all already love akachan so much and would miss him! It's too sad!" Honey cried as he ran up to Hikaru and started tugging onto his pant leg, looking up at him as he sobbed. Hikaru, ashamed for yelling at him like he did, looked down without looking straight at him.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, Honey-sempai, and I'm sorry that you're upset, but it's what's best, okay? There's nothing else I can do..." Hikaru said quietly as he wiped his arm across his eyes in order to prevent any oncoming tears from falling out. Honey quickly ran into Mori's arms for comfort as Tamaki and Kyoya both still kept their own unfaltering shocked stares on Hikaru, who got up and began sprinting right up to his bedroom without a word.

"Hikaru, wait just a minute! Where is this all suddenly coming from? Hikaru!" Tamaki exclaimed as he ran after him, jumped right in front of him, and snatched both of his arms quickly before he could get up the staircase.

"_Let go, Tono. _I didn't want you guys here in the first place," Hikaru growled, glaring intently right at him as he gritted his teeth. Tamaki, who had never looked so desolate before in his life, only made his grip tighter as Hikaru tried his hardest to make him let go.

"Not until you sit right back down on that couch and tell us where the hell all this is coming from! This just isn't like you at all and we all want to help you! Please, just let us!" Tamaki cried, sounding almost desperate as he felt the urge to cry himself. Never once throughout this whole ordeal was he for adoption, and now it he couldn't believe it was obviously about to happen.

Hikaru, noticing the morose look in Tamaki's eyes, began to stop resisting once he saw how dead serious he was about this. Over the last couple months, his answering machine, cell, e-mail address, etc. had been filled to their tops with all the hosts' continuous missed calls, voicemails, e-mails, texts, notifications, etc. etc., and he didn't hesitate to just ignore them all. His entire purpose for ignoring them for the rest of the school term and summer was because he so easily blamed them all for not protecting Haruhi from the press and for taking her away from him, even though it was all in fact, just to protect her even further. That fact didn't occur to Hikaru as he moped in his depression, locking himself up in his house without letting anyone in. Yeah, he was able to clear his head and make his decision finally (which for the most part, only made him even more miserable), but still, he pushed away the closest people to him and they all still came knocking on his door just now when he needed them the most.

Right now, as his own eyes began to show his own depression, becoming obvious to Tamaki, who slightly loosened his grip, Hikaru regretted pushing them all away and collapsed into Tamaki's chest. His sobs that he had been holding in for the past couple months came out loudly. Tamaki immediately wrapped his arms around him in comfort. The others (including Honey, who had somewhat recovered) all just watched sadly from the living room.

"What do you think, Tono? I already told you at my party, and after thinking about it a lot more these last couple months, I realized that...I...I just can't keep him...I just _can't_...no matter how much I want to...Haruhi was right, I'm just not ready to do this...I'm seventeen for crying out loud. I know I'm not ready to be an otousan..." Hikaru had difficulty saying this as he choked on his sobs, his face still buried into Tamaki's chest. Tamaki didn't care at all and wasn't letting go anytime soon and wouldn't until Hikaru was ready.

"It doesn't matter how hard I try, I won't be able to be there for him all the time...I'm just not as ready for this as I kept trying to convince myself I was. These last couple months...as it gets closer, I...I've been feeling even more scared than I have been the whole time, and now...I'm just completely terrified. I know I'm not good enough...and if I keep him, he's gonna be picked on and denounced by everyone out there because of _my _stupid mistakes, just like Haruhi's had to endure...I can't put him through that...he deserves only the best, and I'm not even close to being the best for him..."

"Hikaru, I can't stress this enough, but it'll be okay, I swear it to you," Tamaki said almost dolefully as he comfortingly patted him on the back, but began sounding slightly optimistic with each encouraging word. "But to be honest, I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit. So what if you're only seventeen, or if you've made mistakes? Everyone makes them, and even though yours were pretty big ones, look at how far you've come since. We're all proud of you for recovering from your addiction and for trying so hard to make it all work out. And I'd definitely say that you've matured since Kaoru died. I'm sure that Haruhi's proud of you to, even though she hasn't shown it.

"I also think that it's very mature and responsible of you to go to the trouble of setting up an adoption, but come on, I know that there's no way that any other man out there will love and care for akachan nearly as much as you already do. And look, no parent can be there all the time no matter how hard they try, but I know that you'd try your best and only be the best father possible. I know I can't tell you what to do, but that's how I really feel, and I'm sure that how we all feel, right guys?"

Hikaru, still sniffling and his eyes red from sobbing, slowly lifted his head and looked at the host club king straight in the eye. Tamaki's eyes looked so full of hope and optimism now and he was genuinely smiling down at him. Hikaru, released from Tamaki's tight embrace, then turned to look behind him to see the rest of the hosts giving him looks similar to Tamaki's, even Kyoya (who had pulled out his laptop from who-knew-where and started doing something).

"It's true, Hika-chan, I think you'd be a great daddy!" Honey, who had completely recovered, said cheerfully as he ran up to him and hugged his legs tightly, kind of surprising him. "Tama-chan's right, but while we'd all miss him a whole lot, it's your decision and we know you'd only make the best one for akachan!"

Hikaru could feel his heart melt as he looked down at Honey's jocose expression as he squeezed him as tightly as possible. After smiling down at him for a moment, Hikaru looked up and saw Kyoya and Mori smiling as well and nodding (and grunting in Mori's case) in agreement. He felt his tears (this time of joy) on the verge of returning.

"Thank you, guys...I'm still really not sure, but I just hope that your right, that I make the right decision..." he said, still somewhat trembling as he wiped off the rest of his tears with the back of his hand.

"I'm glad you're feeling better now, Hikaru, but there was another very important reason we came here today," Kyoya suddenly said sternly as he shifted his focus back to his laptop and began typing something on it rapidly. "Because of a clue Tamaki gave me awhile ago, I was finally able to come up with some new suspects in our case."

At those words, everyone's smiles disappeared and their eyes widened to new extremes. In a flash, they all hurried and sat at Kyoya's sides to see whatever he was doing on his laptop. For the most part, the bad Hitachiin family press had begun dying down, but Kyoya was still determined as ever to crack this case. Hikaru, despite not giving a damn, did just mention how he didn't want akachan being exploited in such a manner, so this greatly increased his interest in the whole ordeal.

"Thanks to a conversation Tamaki and I were having the other day, I remembered that there were some people I completely forgot about checking out: any recent Ouran drop-outs or transfers," Kyoya began again as he kept typing while everyone just kept their gazes on the monitor. Not that they had a clue as to what some of the complex-looking info on the screen meant, but they were still curious. "Once this occurred to me, I was able to convince the chairman to allow me to look at the student records to check, and between now and the day right after the host club movie premiere day, there was only one student who had transferred out of Ouran within that time period. Hikaru, I'm now thinking that this particular former Ouran student, being the niece of one of your mother's fashion industry rivals, has a high chance of being our culprit at this point."

After slamming his finger on the enter key, a head shot of said potential culprit consumed the screen. Besides Kyoya (obviously), everyone's mouths fell right open when they saw the picture of a certain red-headed, byotchy, banned host club guest.

"**Oh my God! Aya's **_**dead**_** once I get my hands on her!**" Hikaru bellowed as he jumped out of his seat in rage, randomly pulling out a chainsaw from who-knows-where and firing it up in his fiery anger with the flames of hell acting as a suitable background. Needless to say that everyone else (besides Kyoya) was also quite surprised and dismayed about this particular development.

"I knew that there was always something up with her, and it's no surprise that she'd want to get revenge on Haruhi, or I guess Haruhi's 'sister', and help take down her aunt's competition in some way," Tamaki commented as he and everyone else kept their attention on Kyoya and the info in front of them, blocking out Hikaru's war cries and Futeki's barking in the background. "But still, it doesn't make complete sense to me. I mean, sure, she might have something against Haruhi and Hikaru and possibly the rest of us, but I don't exactly know how she could've been able to get the dirt on them so discreetly or why she would've wanted so badly to spike the punch and potentially harm akachan. Then again, for all we know, that could've been a completely different person entirely, and said person might not have meant to hurt anyone and just did the spiking for the heck of it."

"That might be true, Tamaki, but something's telling me that if there is another person, he or she would've had to have been collaborating with Ayanokoji, since I'm certain no one else in the school was involved in any of this and Ayanokoji would've been an easy way to infiltrate the school. Plus, I happened to find a mysterious spying contraption in the club room the other day."

Kyoya then clicked something else on his laptop and everyone, including Hikaru (who finally put away the chainsaw) was astounded to see a picture of a robotic-looking spider.

"Even if her family does make a substantial amount of money, they are in no way connected to any technological or electronics-related industries, so getting a piece of technology as unavailable to the public and expensive as this spider would be impossible for her alone. She would have to be connected with someone outside of the school who would have access to this kind of spying equipment who has a bone to pick with Haruhi and/or Hikaru and would be willing to help her out in exchange for something. Also, we can't completely deny the potential that Ayanokoji's accomplice or accomplices might've actually wanted to harm the baby for some reason."

"Aw, that's so sad! What jerks out there would want to hurt a cute little innocent baby?" Honey whimpered as everyone pondered the possibility of who Ayanokoji could've been collaborating with. "Well, the only kind of jerks that I can think of are ones who don't want Haru-chan pregnant for some reason and want the host club to look bad...and just don't like boys for some reason, since that's what akachan is."

Everyone froze. What Honey just said made something click inside all of them immediately.

"Kyoya-sempai! Quick, can you find out what school Aya transferred to after she left Ouran?" Hikaru asked him immediately as everyone turned their heads back to the screen. Kyoya did so as well and looked back at the school records.

"I should be able to...okay, here we go. In one second, we should have the name of Ayanokoji's new school, and it's name is...Oh. My. God..."

Everyone froze again, even stiffer than before, when they saw the words 'St. Lobelia Girls' Academy' somewhere in Ayanokoji's school transfer information. Soon enough, Hikaru had his chainsaw going and the flames behind him again, only this time, he wasn't alone.

"**Oh my God! Those witches are gonna pay and regret ever trying to lay a hand on my precious daughter and grandson! They'll pay I tell you!**" Tamaki hollered himself as he joined Hikaru, only he had a spiky club instead of a chainsaw. The other three just sweatdropped. "Okay, gentlemen, we are to scout out these she-devils and make them pay right now! Away we-ah!" As Tamaki was about ready to run off and attack, he slipped on a banana peel and the flames of hell went down again.

Everyone got up from the couch and looked down at their aching, fallen leader. Where the peels always came from was still and probably would always be a mystery, but that was the least of their worries right now, especially Hikaru's.

"Or we could come up with a more civilized way to confront them so that we might actually accomplish something." Tamaki, still on the floor wincing in pain, limpily lifted his arm and gave Kyoya an okay on that plan.

"Okay, so we finally have our culprits, Kyoya-sempai. But I'm just wondering, since their attempt at killing akachan with the alcohol failed, couldn't the ever-determined Zuka Club try pulling something again?" Hikaru asked, cooling down from his anger, but starting to feel worried for his child's life.

"Likely, Hikaru, but I don't think that's something to worry about right now, considering Haruhi's halfway around the world right now," Kyoya said casually as he packed up his laptop.

"But that program likely invited students from several schools in our area, and St. Lobelia could have some of their students over in America with Haruhi right this minute."

That was so far the only complete sentence Mori had probably said all day, and it was surely one that didn't make anyone feel better. In fact, it was probably what caused Tamaki to suddenly recover so quickly, then begin freaking out again until he got hurt...again. Either way, Hikaru and the rest of the host club definitely now realized that they needed to confront the ever so infamous Zuka Club with a solid approach...and _quickly_.

* * *

"Same place, Haruhi-sama?"

"Same place, sir."

Haruhi smiled cheerfully as she had her limo driver take her straight from school to the same shopping area she was at just a few weeks ago so she could get over to nearest baby superstore in the area. Despite not being really close, her new friends _begged her _to let them throw her a shower. After so many pleas from them, Haruhi relented, which made them happy, but that meant that she had to register at said baby superstore. While she had a feeling that she and Hikaru would have more than enough stuff, it was still a nice gesture on their part to give her one. This was possibly going to be a long afternoon and there'd be less studying time, but Haruhi wasn't all that upset about it. She knew she was going to have to leave the program early anyway so she could fly back home before she was to far in her pregnancy to fly anymore.

Only problem was that once she set foot into the store and had the scanner in her hand, all she could do was look around nervously, intimidated by all the stuff in front of her.

"Oh geez...I don't even know what to scan. It's not like Hikaru and I are missing anything...should we actually be needing anything..." she said quietly to herself as she began walking around the place. The cheerful look on her face began to disappear.

She had been in so many similar stores during the first school term when all the girls who regularly visited the host club (along with Tamaki) dragged her and Kyoya to every single one in the entire Tokyo area, she thought that she'd puke upon seeing one ever again. Not that there was anything wrong with them at all, but it was seriously just too much for one expecting mother who wasn't even certain about keeping her child in the first place or needing anything in all honesty. Plus, as she wandered around, it was only making it harder for her to tell herself that adoption was still the best option. Just looking at everything, she felt saddened as she involuntarily began envisioning herself sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery Hikaru designed, feeding akachan late at night, looking at his kawaii little face as he's cooing, then falling fast asleep in her arms as she smiled down on him. Quite heart-breaking to her, actually.

This particular store (despite being kind of smaller than most), as she wandered inside and scanned the nearly endless shelves and rows of clothes, toys, bags of diapers, furniture, etc. was definitely giving her that specific feeling.

"Excuse me, miss. Do you need any help with anything? My name is Maddie if you need any help with anything!" At the sound of such a perky, upbeat tone, Haruhi swiftly turned around to find a sales associate standing right behind her.

Said girl looked about early to mid-twenties, not that much taller than Haruhi, and with the common red hair, green eyes combination. The giddy expression on her face was so bright, it was almost nauseating, but Haruhi didn't think for one second that it could have been fake. Believe it or not, the girl was actually for real, as Haruhi could easily tell, being so intuitive and all.

"Oh, thank you, but it's okay. I've got it," Haruhi said, trying not to sound as down as she felt inside, but didn't realize that she accidentally said 'arigato' instead of 'thank you'. The girl's eyes widened upon hearing this.

"Wait a minute, aren't you Haruhi Fujioka?" Haruhi's own eyes widened as Maddie, a girl she had never even seen before, correctly guessed her name.

"Uh...yeah...uh, how do you know me?" _'What is it with these American girls? They just keep surprising me every day...' _Haruhi sweatdropped at this thought, but was confused even more to see Maddie lightly giggling to herself.

"Oh, I have a younger sister named Sylvie whose in the same program as you are right now! She talks about you all the time and is so excited to be throwing you your baby shower, so I'm glad I'm finally meeting you! I didn't realize that the Japanese have kids so early, but to each culture his own! I think it's such a great program for you guys, and she's been studying in Japan for so long that I'm glad that she's back in the States at least for the summer!"

As Maddie kept rambling on and on, Haruhi only sweatdropped even more as she tried politely to listen. This girl seemed just as air-headed as several other Amercian girls to Haruhi, but she was very nice at least. While her program went smoothly and most people weren't judgmental of her, there were always those couple of immature ones who didn't hesitate to call her a slut or a whore behind her back, but Haruhi knew better than to let that bug her. At least there were nice people in this country, even if they were a bit ditzy.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you too. I had no clue your sister attended high school in Japan, but I don't think it was my school, Ouran Academy."

"Oh, that's definitely not it. I think it was...oh yeah! It's called St. Lobelia's!"


	31. Runaway

(A/N: Man, I don't know why, but I had severe writer's block or no interest in working on this all week and didn't even start this until last Friday! Dunno why, but anyway, hope that my work pays off! Believe me, not easy to make OCs...well, not that it's _hard_, but I never feel confident about them. And I'm sorry that this one's kinda shorter and slow, but I'll admit that it is kinda a filler [which I've barely had throughout this story so far at least] and is mainly just for setting up the events to come.

To any of you who read the previous chapter before I edited something, I did happen to re-name Maddie's sister after realizing that I practically gave her the same name as Anne-Sophie.)

* * *

"Oh...I see. Well, I'm glad that your sister has been enjoying her time there then," Haruhi said, laughing somewhat nervously. Maddie, sitting across from her at there table at Starbucks while listening intently and sipping her coffee a few times every minute, kept the same genuine, overly saccharine expression on the whole time. How easily amused this girl was, to Haruhi at least.

It almost scared her how friendly and straightforward this girl was, but Haruhi didn't really believe she was out to get her or do any ill will or anything. Plus, she seemed too dim to be the kind of person plotting anything against someone, which was why after looking around the store a bit longer and barely registering anything for the unnecessary shower, Haruhi took up Maddie's offer to get something at Starbucks. After ordering and sitting down, Haruhi decided to be polite and chat with her for awhile, though she thought it'd be best to not say anything offensive about St. Lobelia and about the kidnapping attempt by the Zuka Club. That would probably only 1) insult Maddie, or 2) freak her out. Haruhi wasn't looking for either reaction.

"Mm-hmm! She always _loves _to talk about the Zuka Club and all the plays they do, but she seems a little too obsessed with that president, what's her name...?" Haruhi slightly cringed at the mention of said club and almost mention of Benibara, but tried not to show any sort of expression of disdain. "But enough about my weird sister, I really wanna hear about you, Haruhi. How far along are you? Do you know if it's a boy or a girl? What's your husband like? What was your wedding like? Was he excited when he found out you were pregnant? Omigosh, I'm sorry, but I wanna know everything! I'm sure your story is really sweet and romantic!"

As Maddie kept gushing over the yet-to-even-be-told story, Haruhi couldn't help but sweatdrop tenfold. On the one hand, she realized how much this particular girl reminded her of her old guests back at the host club: air-headed, sweet, cheerful, anxious to know about her, etc., and though this was making Haruhi feel kind of weird, it was kind of nice...in a weird way. She just knew that this girl would be putty in Tamaki's hands, no doubt. On the other hand, she knew that the story wasn't exactly the cutesy romance Maddie was probably expecting.

"Uh...well, I'm about seven and a half months now, and to be honest, I don't really know the gender. I wanted to find out, but my...husband..." That word was still foreign to Haruhi's tongue. She saw how her hesitation wasn't apparent to Maddie, who was still grinning from ear to ear. "He definitely wanted it to be a surprise, but just before I came here to the States, we were kind of fighting, so I told him it was a boy to get revenge. Part of me feels bad, but the reaction on his face was priceless. And I don't know why, but part of me feels like it's definitely a boy, even though I really have no reason to think that the baby couldn't be a girl."

"Oh God, that's hysterical! I bet he'll be in for a shock if it does turn out to be a girl!" Maddie giggled mischievously, making Haruhi only laugh more nervously and sweatdrop more. It was hard to believe that this girl was for real...

Haruhi nervously stirred her tea as they talked. Here she was, spilling her guts out to someone she had known for all of a couple hours like a long-lost friend. While it was weird and slightly uncomfortable in that sense and while this girl didn't exactly 'have much up in the attic;, somewhere _way _deep in her, Haruhi was definitely enjoying it. God knows how long it had been since she really hung out with anyone of her own (real) gender; the days at the host club with all of her guests certainly didn't count, so Haruhi could appreciate this kind of girl time. Plus, unlike her with guests, there was no obligation to hide _anything _from her new 'friend', though she didn't feel the need to tell her about _everything_ (including how she even got pregnant in the first place).

"Yeah, but anyway, he is pretty ecstatic about all this..." Haruhi said, but her smile began to fade and her eyes started looking more towards the ground. Maddie seemed to notice and a slight look of confusion came across her face. "But...to be perfectly honest, while he and I are pretty much ready once our baby is here...well, I love him or her so much already and I'm sure Hikaru and I would do fine, but...I don't know." Haruhi noticed that Maddie raised an eyebrow at this.

"You don't know what?" Haruhi was ready to answer her, but was actually beat to it somehow. "...Oh! I see...you're not sure if you guys are ready and if you'll keep him or her, considering how young you are." Haruhi felt her eyes widen as she heard those words come out of Maddie's mouth and saw the somewhat saddened expression now taking over her face. "Hey, I get it, you guys are young, so of course hesitation is natural."

Haruhi was kind of taken aback with how quickly Maddie changed gears, going so quickly from giddy and excited to temporarily confused to suddenly so empathetic and understanding of the situation without Haruhi even needing to put it into exact words. Kind of creepy, especially since Maddie was beginning to remind her of someone, but Haruhi couldn't put her finger on it. She could appreciate this kind of understanding and having someone to talk to all this about, but she wasn't exactly sure what to say. She was right in that Haruhi was still not one hundred percent confident in that she and Hikaru were actually ready, but at the same time, Haruhi knew for a fact that she was actually coming around to the idea of keeping akachan. She knew there was only so much more time until a firm decision had to be made, but it was definitely the hardest decision in her life now, so she really hadn't been able to pin down either option yet.

While adoption seemed to be what she was so completely nuts about for awhile, after realizing her feelings for Hikaru and seeing how things could honestly work out in the end, everything just went haywire in her mind. It was just too difficult now, and Maddie seemed to be able to read it all over her face.

"Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel right about now," Haruhi said quietly as she looked down gloomily, gently placing her free hand on her stomach. She felt better that akachan began moving more recently, but like Hikaru, she still dreaded going through all this without him by her side all the time.

"Well, I can't really tell you what to do, Haruhi, and I'm sure you've heard it before, but I'm sure you'll make the best decision for your and your husband's baby," Maddie said, trying to give Haruhi a smile that looked much calmer than earlier. Haruhi looked up and kind of returned it.

About ready to say something else, Maddie was suddenly interrupted by the sad sounds of a baby crying. They weren't ear-shattering, but they were certainly loud. The sound broke both of their hearts as they turned to look at the poor baby crying, squirming in his stroller that was parked right at Maddie's side. Haruhi's brown orbs couldn't help but stare sadly at the poor little boy, dressed in the cutest baby blue footsie PJs. He had fine, light brown hair and couldn't have been more than maybe a few months old.

"Oh, Maxey, it's okay! What's the matter?" Maddie spoke in what almost sounded like baby talk as she bent down, lifted him carefully out of his stroller, and held onto him as tightly as possible as he kept wailing. "I'm sorry, Haruhi, this'll just be a minute."

"Oh, don't worry about it! Take your time," Haruhi said sincerely as she observed them. She never realized how heart-breaking it was to hear an infant cry before, but it was so sweet at the same time just watching Maddie comfort him.

"There now, it's okay. Mommy's here. Do you need your pacifier?" Maddie, after bouncing him for a bit, bent back down and took a pacifier out of one of the pockets in the stroller. After sticking it into his mouth, the crying almost instantly subsided. Maddie and Haruhi's saddened looks simultaneously disappeared and were replaced by ones of relief as his own expression went from miserable to calm and collected. It was just too cute.

"Wow, that seemed pretty easy," Haruhi commented as she watched Maddie begin trying to rock him back to sleep.

Haruhi couldn't help but imagine herself in such a similar position, which wasn't all that far-fetched at all. She couldn't resist smiling at how sweet the mom and baby looked together. She could only hope that her own baby would be as well-behaved (and of course, cute) as Max was. Yeah, she was sure that Maddie wasn't a fan of the crying part, but that was a small sacrifice for her son. This definitely made adoption seem less and less appealing in Haruhi's mind, without a doubt.

"Oh, believe me, this was lucky!" Maddie, not taking her eyes off of him for a second, said as she kept rocking the baby, who was starting to fall back to sleep as he softly moaned. "He is usually pretty good, but whenever he does wake up and start crying, it usually takes way more than just his pacifier to make him go back to sleep. Today is probably just a lucky day. But either way, I love him so much. I could never imagine not having him in my life no matter what!"

Haruhi could feel her heart melt as she watched Maddie beaming down at Max and kissing his forehead once he was fast asleep. It was truly a sweet sight. But at the same time, a frown came upon Haruhi's face as she thought about something.

"Hey Maddie, you never told me, what's your husband like? Is he a good dad? What's he do for a living? Are you guys happy together?" Haruhi asked, suddenly becoming the one with all the questions, as she kept watching her rock him. Right then, Maddie's smile vanished as she slowly looked up at Haruhi. Haruhi was surprised to see how morose she looked after hearing her question. Her mouth slightly fell open as she immediately felt bad for asking. "Oh, I'm sorry! You don't have to answer that!" Haruhi said nervously.

"Oh no, it's no problem. It's something I'm able to talk about," Maddie said sadly as she looked back down at her sleeping baby. "The thing is, I was never married to Maxey's father. You see..." Haruhi could sense the dispiritedness in her tone as she tried to get it out. Her green orbs definitely held some sort of sorrow in them; that also broke Haruhi's heart. "We were college sweethearts, totally in love. We loved each other so, so, so much and were inseparable. All the mushy, lovey-dovey stuff you could possibly think of. Looking back now, it seems ridiculous, but then, it seemed just like a dream come true. Nothing seemed like it was gonna go wrong.

"But then all of a sudden the summer before junior year, I got pregnant. Right after I told him, we argued, then after that, I never saw or heard from him again, and most of my so-called friends abandoned me after I said I wouldn't get an abortion. But it didn't matter; I wasn't gonna give up Maxey no matter what. I had to settle for my associate's degree and I thankfully found both my own apartment and that job at Babies R Us and worked there until he was born. I only just got off maternity leave earlier this week. My mom's had no problem watching him when I need her to, but I prefer to take care of him myself when I can. I'd be lying if I said she was happy when I told her about all this; while my sister is able to attend St. Lobelia's, we're far from rich. She's a scholarship student, so money is kinda tight. But everything's perfect to me, and I wouldn't want any other life than this now."

Haruhi, her mouth now hanging back open and her eyes expanded, had slapped her hand over her mouth and could only feel worse with each word coming out of Maddie's mouth. It was unbelievable; this poor girl had so much less support with all this, both in moral support and in money, yet she couldn't have been happier. Haruhi even saw her smile return as Maddie finished spilling her own guts about her own life and hardships with getting pregnant. All of a sudden, Haruhi felt horrible. Despite not being any richer, she knew how much support and love she had from so many people with this whole thing she and Hikaru were going through, almost to the point of it seeming overbearing (especially in the host club's case), but now she could only feel absolutely grateful.

Now Hikaru was another thing all together. While Maddie's ex had the nerve to suddenly 'disappear', Hikaru, as far as Haruhi was certain, would _never _abandon her no matter what and was even initially the one between the two of them that constantly insisting on them keeping their child. Haruhi couldn't have asked for anyone else better to be going through all this with. She now bitterly regretted never telling Hikaru how much she loved him, or that she disposed of her wedding ring.

Haruhi sniffled as she tried choking something out, but she struggled severely. "Oh my gosh...I'm so sorry, Maddie. I had no idea. You're so strong and so young at only twenty and seem so positive and cheerful to be going through all of this practically on your own. I can't even imagine going through what I am now like that." Haruhi wiped her tears off as she spoke. Maddie, taken a bit aback by that, smiled softly in Haruhi's direction.

"Oh, don't be! Like I said, I wouldn't want anything to be different now. But I just hope that whatever you choose, you'll also feel as good as I do about my decision!" she responded, going almost back into her nauseatingly peppy tone, but Haruhi smiled back again. She was lucky to find at least one friend in this country.

As Maddie was about to say something again, she felt her phone vibrate and carefully took it out of her pocket to look at who was calling while carefully holding a sleeping Max in the other. She instantly glared down at her phone when she saw who was calling, but tried not to make it obvious that she was pissed to Haruhi, who, noticing the transition in her expression, was now a bit confused herself.

"I'm sorry, Haruhi, but I just have to take this really quickly! Can you please hold onto Maxey while I take this?"

"Oh sure. I promise I'll be gentle," Haruhi assured her as Maddie got up out of her chair and went over to Haruhi with him.

She very carefully placed her son into Haruhi's outstretched arms and went around the corner out of Haruhi's sight to talk to whoever. Once she was out of sight, Haruhi looked down and couldn't resist smiling cheerfully down at the boy, who was still sleeping quietly as he lay in her arms. Haruhi gently ran her fingers through his fine strands of light brown hair and felt how soft his skin felt. He was certainly a beautiful little baby boy. She loved the feeling of just holding him, like she was protecting him as she looked down at him. This was definitely a feeling she wanted to embrace if she kept her own baby. As she kept her smile plastered on her face, she still felt ready to cry at any moment.

_'Oh my God...this feeling is incredible. Man...once I hold my own baby just like this after I give birth...just...God...there's just no way I could ever give him or __her__ up...there's just no way, especially since I already love him or her so much...' _Haruhi thought as she continued to rock Max gingerly. She nearly jumped when she suddenly felt her own baby begin to kick really hard. At this point, she couldn't help but feel hopeful and content at the thought that everything could now go perfectly now that she had made up her mind and came to a decision she was comfortable with. She finally let go of all her fears and felt that she would be able to be a good mother now and that she and Hikaru would be capable of raising him or her. She couldn't have felt happier than at that moment.

* * *

"May I help you, _sis_?" Maddie said bitterly into her phone after flipping it open and making sure that Haruhi was out of hearing distance. She knew this was certainly not going to be a conversation her new Japanese friend would enjoy hearing, or should be in the first place.

"Is Haruhi Hitachiin with you right now? Did she register at the store? Is she convinced about the baby shower? Please, you have to tell me that everything's actually going according to plan!" Sylvie sounded almost too anxious as she asked, but Maddie brushed it off.

"Yeah, all that is true, but you'd better listen to me right now, Sylvie! You and your little Japanese lesbian friends of yours better keep your hands **off **of Haruhi! She's a really sweet girl and you guys had better not do anything to hurt her or her baby!" Maddie exclaimed angrily into her phone, easily ignoring any weird looks by-passers gave her. Talk about quick character change...again...

"**No! **Maddie, we have to do this! Benibara-sama said so and Benibara-sama knows best! We, as reps of the Zuka Club, are sworn to do her bidding, so this has to be done!"

"I don't care about whatever this insane, lesbian chick says, you guys had better keep your grimy paws off of this girl!" Like how Hikaru and Tamaki were earlier when they was pissed, the flames of hell could literally be seen in Maddie's eyes as she said this, her fangs coming out as well. She was obviously quite pissy and infuriated about all this now, huh?

"No! Maddie, please! You know how much I like Benibara! She might actually look at me or even like me back if I do this for her!" Maddie felt almost sick as she heard her sister go _on _and _on _about how much she loved Benibara. She had no problem that her sister 'played for the other team', but this was both ridiculous and starting to even become totally immoral and life-threatening to innocent people. No girl had to be worth this.

"Sis, do you not hear yourself? You seem completely desperate at this point, which I'm sure you are, but come on! I don't even get how you could possibly like someone whose willing to kill an innocent little baby just because she's obsessed with this one particular girl becoming one of you guys and shouldn't have the baby for whatever retarded reason! I seriously think you need to check out some other clubs at that school or other girls at the least!"

"**Never! **Benibara is my soul mate and I need to be the one to do this, so you'd better help me out or else!"

"No way, Sylvie! I'll even get Haruhi to safety and away from you freaks if I have to!"

"OMG, you'd better not, Madeline!"

"Watch me!"

With that, Maddie slammed her thumb down on the red button on her phone and stuffed it angrily into her pocket as she hurried _very _quickly back over to where Haruhi was still sitting at. Haruhi looked up from Max and was puzzled at how stressed Maddie looked once she was back at the table, panting heavily as she held onto her knees for support. Normally, Maddie would've gushed over how adorable Haruhi and her son looked together, but now wasn't the time for that and she knew so.

"Uh, something wrong, Maddie?" Haruhi asked, tilting her head involuntarily in confusion.

"Yes...you're not safe here anymore, Haruhi." Haruhi stared at her in a mix of shock and disbelief as she said those words in between panting in her exhaustion.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"My sister and some of the other girls from St. Lobelia's are after you and your baby! That's the whole reason they're doing your baby shower! I wasn't supposed to say anything, but it's terrible! I don't know what they're gonna do, but whatever they're planning, it's to terminate your pregnancy! You have to go back home where it's probably safer!"

Haruhi stared at her, sweat dripping down her skin in fear and nervousness for both her and her child's life. Maddie took Max from Haruhi and buckled him back into his stroller as she noticed how shaken up she was by this development. Haruhi didn't want to believe her for one second but still. Anyone who knew them could clearly tell that the Lobelia girls, _especially _the Zuka Club, were kind of crazy (not to mention had terrible taste in the arts), but this was ridiculous. Haruhi knew they were desperate to have her at their school and in their club, but them wanting to kill her baby because of who-knows-what wasn't going to make her want to transfer to their school anymore than she already wanted to, which wasn't at all. Now, all she wanted to do was, as Maddie said, get home as soon as possible. It was just a shame that none of the Ootori police force was stationed in this country.

_'God, no program was worth this!' _she thought fearfully as she took out her own phone and quickly got her driver on the phone as she and Maddie began walking hastily back to where Haruhi knew her driver would pick her up at. "Hold on, let me call a driver to take me to the place I'm staying at."

"What is it, Haruhi-sama?" the older man asked cheerfully once he picked up.

"I need you to pick me up right now and take me straight to the manor the second I get in the limo!"

"But of course, Haruhi-sama!" After hanging up, Haruhi immediately dialed the manor and tried to get a maid on the phone so she could tell her to start packing up all her stuff and book her the soonest flight out of the area.

"Haruhi, I'm not sure if it'd be safe for you to fly though! You're pretty far along now, so while this might sound crazy, I think you should consider getting someone to drive you to the west coast, then getting on a boat!" Maddie commented as she and Haruhi began walking. Haruhi just looked at her, once again, in shock and disbelief.

"What? Are you sure? That seems like it'd take forever!" she exclaimed, not looking forward to the idea of sitting around for so long, but she saw how serous Maddie looked about that idea.

"Yeah, I know, but it'd be safest in my opinion for you to go on a cross-country drive to California, then to get on the soonest ship that heading to Japan! I'm sure the Lobelia girls would think that you'd try to escape by plane, so that would surely throw them off!"

Once they got to where Haruhi was going to get picked up at, they stopped and Haruhi didn't say anything for awhile as she thought about it. While that kind of a trip sounded completely painful, Maddie had some good points (and seemed like she really thought it out). Haruhi, realizing that was the best way to go in order for her and akachan to stay safe, sighed before giving her answer, not looking very happy about it.

"Okay, I'll do it Maddie," Haruhi said unenthusiastically, noticing Maddie's face lighting up. Haruhi gave her a small smile in response. "And thank you so much. You've helped me out so much today. I'm glad I met you and-_aah!_"

"Oh, you're just so cute, Haruhi! I'm happy to help you out and I hope we see each other again someday!" Maddie squealed in excitement as she grabbed Haruhi and pulled her into as tight a hug as possible and made them bounce up and down, making Haruhi feel sick and Max wake up and start bawling. People started to give her looks again, but she apparently didn't give a damn.

_'Oh yeah, now I know for sure who she reminds me of. Who else of course but Tamaki-sempai would be so dramatic?'_

* * *

For about two weeks time, the host club pretty much forgot about any baby shower and worked rapidly around the clock in order to think up some way of confronting the Zuka Club, who were working on some play during the summer, so the host club knew they could find them at their school. (Yeah, two weeks does seem kind of a lot, so one would have to guess that Tamaki was slow on ideas during that time.) Kyoya had insisted for it to be a civil, peaceful confrontation, but it was always a good idea to have a back-up plan just in case. In that case, it did take some more time to get everything officially ready, but now, they all felt somewhat confident in what they would do.

Or, at least they did until the arrived in front of the school gates. At that point, most of their confidence evaporated, but Hikaru, determined to beat the crap out of them, swallowed his pride and stepped forward from where he and the guys stood. They were dressed normally, nothing special this time around, though they did have a plan that Hikaru was content with as he stared menacingly the large 'L' on the gates. Taking a deep breath, he spun around to face the group. They all took note of his grim expression.

"Alright men, I realize how terrifying this mission might be, but keep in mind that this is crucial," Hikaru began, giving the speech Tamaki usually would, but this time, it was only appropriate for Hikaru, who was the most affected by all of this, to give it and lead them all on. "Both our beloved Haruhi's and my own child's lives are at stake here, so we must act swiftly and precise! I hope you all are with me and are ready to take on our opponents, no matter how scary and femenist they may be! Tono!"

"Ready, Hikaru sir!"

"Kyoya-sempai!"

"As long as we don't do anything stupid, ready...I guess..."

"Honey-sempai!"

"Ready, Hika-chan!"

"Mori-sempai!"

"Yeah."

"And just in case things do get rough in there, **Bossa Nova!**"

"Of course sir! Anything for Fujioka's sister!"

At the moment, the air suddenly felt very tense as the guys realized that they'd have to continue this whole charade in front of Kasanoda. Like everyone else at school, he thought that the Haruhi Fujioka they were all familiar with (that he knew was a girl) was in America as well and that the real one was the other one's twin. Overall, it was confusing even to them at this point, but they had to do something in order to avoid getting pummeled by Kasanoda.

"Uh, yeah, that's right!" Hikaru finished up nervously, spinning back around and standing up straight and confidently. "Okay men, this is it. It's a shame that it resorted to this, but we must defeat the Zuka Club for Haruhi! Now charge!"

After kicking open the surprisingly unlocked gate, Hikaru and (most of) the others began charging in, but not before Kyoya got a word in.

"Excuse me, but didn't we agree to settle all this like civil human beings and only resort to violence if necessary? I doubt they'll take us seriously if we just barge into their rehearsals like barbarians completely unannounced."

"...Ugh, fine, if you wanna be boring, we'll 'talk' to them, Kyoya-sempai, but I doubt those witches will listen to us. Alright men, in position," Hikaru muttered irritatedly as they all slowed down and began walking towards the school in an orderly fashion. Kyoya then began following them closely behind, grinning contently.

"Thank you. Now was that so hard...Daddy?" Hikaru resisted the urge to break Kyoya's nose after hearing that comment.


	32. Who Knows

(A/N: I'll confess something right now: this was damn hard to write. Not because I didn't have a clue what to write, but I'm _so_ anxious to write the chapters coming up right after it that I wanted it out of the way! I tried my best to not make it seemed too rushed, and I apologize. But don't worry, you'll see what I mean in the chapter after this why I was so excited to write the next one! Anyway, hope you guys enjoy!)

* * *

It was a nice sunny, breezy day in California, but as long as it wasn't going to be stormy that day, Haruhi didn't really give a damn about the weather that much in general. Especially today. Considering the two week-long trip she just finished up that seemed more like an eternity was _finally _over, it was the only thing that was on her mind as she stood very tiredly in front of the humongous sea vessel she was about to board. Well, okay, the humongous sea vessel she was about to board was also at least somewhat on her mind as she inspected it in amazement from where she was standing. Still, it was kind of hard to completely appreciate what a nice ship she would be travelling on for the next couple weeks. At least she knew in the back of her mind that while this upcoming trip would be just as long (and probably boring after some time), it wouldn't be nearly as strenuous.

_'I can only hope that this leg of the trip will be more enjoyable...'_ she thought to herself as she just stood there, lightly panting from carrying her heavy bags while looking at the ship in awe. She stood right on the dock where the ship was docked at with her bags sitting on the ground on either side of her. People were bustling about, getting ready to board the ship themselves. While she was still kind of tired from her more recent trip, a part of her was somewhat excited to be going on a cruise ship for the first time in her life.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of her ring tone coming from inside her pocket. She quickly fished it out to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Haruhi! How was your trip? Are you in California now? You're not hurt, right? I hope you're alright and that the trip went well!" Even if she hadn't looked at the caller ID, Haruhi could recognize that overly perky Boston accent _anywhere_.

"Yeah, it wasn't _too _bad," Haruhi said, sighing, thinking about how her trip was pretty much anything but 'well'. "Though it was a bit ridiculous that a trip that was supposed to take a maximum of five days turned into _two weeks_ since my driver was beyond desperate to look at _anything_ of the slightest bit of interest we passed by. Overall, it was pretty boring for me since nothing he wanted to see was _that_ interesting, including the stupid twine ball and gigantic tree stump a billion ants were living in. Plus, I've only been getting even _more_ tired lately I can't believe that most of my clothes are already starting to get too tight when I'm _only_ eight months now. But other than that, it was fine!"

"Uh...okay, I'm glad it was...fine then." Maddie easily sensed the irritation in each italicized word Haruhi said and the cheerfulness in others, but refrained from commenting in order to avoid provoking anymore moodiness from her, even though she herself didn't believe that this was exactly a 'fine' trip that wasn't 'too bad'. "But anyway, I bet your friends are excited that you're coming home early!"

"Yeah, not really. Then again, I don't even know if they themselves know, considering none of them picked up their phones when I called or responded to my voicemails yet." A look of agitation came across Haruhi's face as she said so.

She could still remember back those couple of weeks ago when she called them: all she got from all five of the other host club members were their individual voicemail boxes, all of which had a message along the lines of each of them being 'busy' with something. (Hikaru's mentioned something about annihilating someone with a chainsaw and then throwing whoever's remains into the flames of hell, but Haruhi decided he must have been exaggerating...and was potentially beginning to just be losing it.) She seriously just didn't want to know at that point anyway.

"O-kay..." Maddie murmured, starting to realize the uncomfortableness of this conversation. "Well, I'm sure your cruise will be much better! I looked up the ship you're going on and it's _super_ high-class, so I'm sure you'll feel much better after going to the ship's spa and chilling out for a bit! Oh! And snow cones! They're the _best_ and always make me feel better, so make sure you eat a whole bunch!"

"Sure thing...thanks Maddie. I think the ship's about ready to board." Haruhi laughed nervously as she sweatdropped. This girl's energy never ceased to amaze her.

"Okey-dokey! Bon voyage! With the exception of the storms I hear they're calling for near your area, I just know it'll be a great trip for ya! Bye, Haruhi!"

At that point, Haruhi was beginning to snap out of her mood swings and was starting to feel better after her exhausting road trip. Unfortunately, her phone dropped right out of her hand and she turned to stone the second she heard the word 'storms' come out of Maddie's mouth.

_'Oh no...please, Mother in Heaven, help me...' _she thought worriedly to herself as she hesitatingly picked her phone back up, put it away, and grabbed her bags to board the ship. A part of her was hoping that for once, the weather people would be _completely_ wrong.

* * *

_"From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last! _

_Arms, take your last embrace! and, lips, O you_

_The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss_

_A dateless bargain to engrossing death!_

_Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide! _

_Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on _

_The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark! _

_Here's to my-"_

All of a sudden, there was a knock on a door. But in all honesty, it was more like a rude, obnoxious banging, at least in Benibara's opinion.

"**Seriously! **Just as I was about to finish my flawless monologue!" she exclaimed exasperatedly and threw the bottle-like prop she was using across the room and through a window, smashing both of them in the process. Every other girl in the room that was taking part in the production and rehearsing with her began cowering in fear. One was about ready to hurry over to the door to answer it, but stopped when their ultimate leader held her hand out in front of her, motioning her to stop. "Don't worry, I'll get it." Benibara stated this as calmly as her temper would allow her to as she slowly headed towards the door.

As anyone could easily tell, Benibara was _very_ devoted to her club and the plays they did to the point of prepping for them before the new school term had even begun, so having her 'flawless' Romeo monologue interrupted wasn't exactly just a minor inconvenience to her. The stress from trying to perfect the club's latest production was already getting to her, so having this important rehearsal interrupted by who-knows-who for who-knows-what seriously ticked her off, but she tried her best not to show it and to keep her cool.

"May I help-?"

Once she opened the door and saw who it was, her eyes widened in surprise, but she still tried keeping her cool as best as she could. She was definitely surprised that her her uninvited visitors had the nerve to show up like this, though it was no mystery to her or the other ladies, who crowded around the door next to her, as to why they looked quite pissed about a certain something, their arms crossed and eyes glaring directly at them.

"What the hell do you scumbags think you're doing, disrupting _my _rehearsal?" Benibara asked them, her tone sounding very scathing as she tried shooting her most deathly glare at them, but none of the host club (or Kasanoda) flinched for one second somehow.

Hikaru, being the most pissed out of the group (for obvious reasons) restrained himself from pummeling them in his rage. He knew he had a right to be as seriously peeved with them as he was, considering they deliberately tried killing his own child, but being loyal to Kyoya's plan, kept his mouth shut as he allowed his sempai to do all the initial talking, as did the other guys (and Kasanoda).

Kyoya stepped forward in front of his group and cleared his throat before proceeding, trying to keep his own composure. He wasn't exactly any happier about this situation than Hikaru was, but he certainly had more self control, knew how to wear an emotional mask better, and knew how to sell his plan in a more civilized and convincing manner than the others. This kind of dealing was in his blood for goodness sake.

"Good afternoon, Benibara-san. We apologize for disrupting your rehearsal, but there's something of great importance that we'd like to discuss with you and your club that I'm sure you're aware of, and I also believe a fair negotiation to settle this particular 'something' is up for discussion as well. We promise to take up as little as your time as possible and will be quick, but this is of dire importance to us though."

The guys' eyes slightly expanded. Even used to Kyoya's typical professional front, they were quite amazed at how well he made his opening statement without showing the _littlest _bit of emotion. Kind of scary actually, but whatever, he got it out there. However, Benibara and the rest of the Zuka Club were unimpressed and just huffed at them obnoxiously in response.

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe there is really anything for us to talk about at the moment, especially with filth along the likes of _you_, so I'll ask you kindly to be on your way out now before I have half a mind to call security, so goodbye!" she scolded them, beginning to slam the door shut right in their faces, but needless to say that she was completely caught off guard when Hikaru threw himself right in between the door and the door frame, holding the door as hard as he could to prevent them from closing it.

"**You evil demonesses! Don't act like this isn't a gigantic humongous deal!**" Hikaru snarled at them as he continued trying to shove the door open to the point where the entire club was trying to push closed against him. "**We all know what you tried doing and we wanted to maturely talk about it with you, but I guess that's out the window now, so you'd all better let us in this _very_ second****!**"

The host club (and Kasanoda) didn't really know what to do (excpet Kyoya, who was just writing). They could only stare in amazement at Hikaru's amazing strength at forcing the door open against at least ten girls and could see the flames igniting around him as he got even more pissed off. There really wasn't much else to do, since helping him out seemed apparently unnecessary, plus, they all weren't too anxious to provoke the crazy girls anymore than they already were and wanted to make it out of all of this with their entire bodies intact.

"Excuse me, but Benio clearly stated that she would like for you guys to leave as soon as possible, so please do so if you don't mind!" Chizuru stated firmly, poking her head through whatever space was still present between the door and door frame to glare back at Hikaru, who just gritted his teeth as he used all his power to shove the door against them all.

"Yes, and besides, it's not like we did anything bad. We simply were just trying to help that poor maiden and cleanse her by ridding of that filthy, illegitimate child!" Hinako chimed in as she poked her head out in a similar fashion.

That was it. Hikaru's eyes shot right open as wide as possible as he used every teeny ounce of energy and rage overflowing within him to break down the door and toss it, along with all the girls gripping it, hard right onto the nicely tiled flooring. He had shouted some quite obscene words at them while doing so as well. Benibara and the guys all had their jaws hitting the floor as they watched Hikaru stepping down on the now broken door, crushing the girls underneath it in the process. Kyoya even took a break from writing just to simply observe the scene, none of them ever seeing Hikaru _this_ enraged about anything ever before. He obviously didn't give a damn about their pain-filled squealing as he stared down at them underneath the door, the flames in the background only rising up even higher as his anger grew.

"_**How dare you refer to my child as filth! You will all pay for**_-" Hikaru was on a roll as he continued his little tirade, along with revving up his chainsaw and everything. But before he could finish, the only person in the nearby vicinity scarier than him grabbed him by the shirt and picked him up, pulling him a little too close to her face for comfort.

"It was _you_! _You_ were the one who tainted our fair maiden and did this to her! **You **are the one who must pay, you disgusting, chauvinist pig! You have committed only the most despicable kind of crime imaginable, and you will suffer for your misdeed, I swear to you!" Benibara exclaimed angrily in Hikaru face after pulling him off the ground.

As Benibara gripped Hikaru's shirt angrily, his own fury, needless to say, was drenched and he was certainly only feeling pure terror at the moment as his eyes fearfully stared up into her own infuriated ones. Acting on his own impulse, he somehow found his way out of her grip and began to run for his life (around the room, stupidly enough), a cat-and-mouse game commencing as Benibara went after him with her own katana she got from who-knows-where. As the two of them played their little 'game', the rest of the guys, being anything but chauvinist pigs, helped the other Lobelia girls off of the floor.

"Look, we're very sorry that this is happening, but we really don't mean to cause any trouble," Tamaki said sincerely as he helped Chizuru up. "All we ask is that you guys retract those comments about Hikaru raping Haruhi and to please not allow your fellows students over in the U.S. to harm her baby. Like we said, we're willing to negotiate. So what do you ladies say?" He flashed his usual blinding smile right at them. As the girls got up and dusted themselves off, they simply scoffed at him and stuck their noses in the air, sending Tamaki into the corner to grow mushrooms.

"Why should we? It's not as if we want anything from you guys. It's just so tragic that poor Haruhi will be forced to live in such shame for the rest of her life and have her future thrown away, thanks to that lowlife!" Chizuru exclaimed overdramatically as she, Hinako, and the other ladies began sighing, also more dramatically than necessary, as usual and expected of them.

"So true! It's not as if we wanted to stain her reputation, but we hadn't a choice! Aya-chan was our only way to infiltrate your school and we had to agree to publish those things from our school's own papers in order to get her to send in the robotic spider to spike the punch in attempt to rid poor Haruhi of her problem!" Hinako added, getting a little too close to Chizuru as they both began weeping. The guys (not including Kasanoda, who got sick of all this crap and just left, though it wasn't like anyone noticed) stared in disgust, trying not to look as best as possible.

"Sadly, our mission had failed, both attempts actually," Benibara said, somewhat disgruntled as she walked back over to her group, tossing a knocked-out Hikaru (who thankfully didn't have his head sliced open from the katana or was even bleeding at all) over to the guys' side. "The spiked punch was a complete failure, and considering that she fled Boston before the baby shower plan could be instigated and is currently travelling aboard a majestic ocean vessel heading back here, we have yet to formulate any other plans at the moment."

Normally, the guys would've just been more stunned by this group's desperation to have Haruhi be whatever they considered 'pure' and to have akachan gone just so her life wouldn't be too hard. (Slightly good intentions, severely twisted minds.) How their minds worked was still, and probably would forever be, a mystery. However, the fact that Haruhi had apparently left Boston recently and was currently on a cruise heading home was still something none of them were aware of, considering how busy they had been formulating their (currently failing) plan the past couple of weeks. At this discovery, they all turned to stone, not believing what they just learned and that these crazy chicks were aware of it before they even were.

"So Haru-chan's...on her way back home right now...?" Honey said quietly as they all just stood their, frozen in their confoundment.

Dot, dot, dot...question mark.

"Hmph, well, regardless of whether you idiots knew about this or not, I think now wouldn't be a bad time to put a third plan into action right about now!" Benibara declared confidently, her anger now replaced by her own pride as a sinister grin came across her face as she held her fist up triumphantly. "Girls, our play can wait! If we hurry and take our equipment with us, we can make it to the cruise ship!" The rest of her club nodded in complete agreement.

This snapped the host club right out of their daze and brought Tamaki out of his corner. Their previous peeved looks returned and Kyoya quickly whipped out his cell and before anyone could even notice, sent a text to a certain group.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that now," he stated coldly as he kept his phone open in his hand and began doing something else on it.

Before anyone could even blink, the Lobelia girls stared in horror as the rehearsal room was beginning to get filled with none other than several officers from the Ootori family police force, their guns loaded and pointed at them. The horror on their faces was well expected as they stood their, frozen in their fear and for once, unable to speak a word. Highly satisfied grins now came across the guys' faces this time. They were certain they had nothing to worry about now.

* * *

"Looks like we have nothing to worry about now, at least for the time being, though I just hope those officers don't go too hard on those girls," Tamaki said somewhat jokingly as the guys were exiting the school. They figured that Kyoya's family's officers could settle anymore necessary 'negotiating' now and decided to head to the limo now at this point, not really sure what to do now on one of their last days of summer. As they spoke, Kyoya was still focusing on whatever he was doing on his phone very intently, but no one dared to question or interrupt him.

"Yeah, but didn't they say that Haru-chan's coming back soon now? I can't wait! I've missed her so, so, so much and I bet she's really big now! And I definitely can't wait to see akachan now! It's only less than a month until we finally get to meet him!" Honey exclaimed excitedly as he hugged his Usa-chan tightly in his ecstacy, but Mori snapped him out of it when he held his hand out in front of him, motioning him to stop walking just as they were outside the school gates. "Huh? What's wrong, Takashi?"

"Hikaru," he said stoically, not even looking down at Honey for one second.

Honey, definitely confused, looked up at his cousin and noticed both his and Tamaki's solemn gazes pointing forward. His own followed and landed right on Hikaru, who was right in the front of the group and he himself was standing motionlessly, looking down at the grass underneath his feet. Honey, even not being able to see the slightly melancholic expression on Hikaru's face at the moment, quickly came to understand.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Hika-chan. I wasn't thinking. I was just-"

"No, don't worry about it, Honey-sempai. You didn't do anything, and it's no big deal," Hikaru said, slightly choking up as he spoke. He sniffled and carefully wiped his face with his bare arm, not turning around to look at the saddened expressions on his friends' faces.

"Hikaru-" Tamaki said quietly, approaching Hikaru carefully and beginning to place his hand on his shoulder, but froze as Hikaru began speaking again.

"No, it's okay, Tono. I...I can't avoid it forever, like I was able to these past couple weeks with our planning and everything, but...he...he's really coming, and time's not standing still. Akachan will be here before any of us know it and I...I'll have to say goodbye to him just when I get to say hello to him for the first time as well, but...I have to be strong. I know I can handle it if I try hard enough. It's just...so much to take in." Hikaru's voice shook as he spoke, his body also doing so similarly. "I mean, ever since I found out about his existence, I...I've only felt so much stress...and worry for him, and...whether Haruhi and I keep him or not, I...I just don't know how I'll be able to handle worrying about him all the time even more than I already do. ...God, I sound like...like..."

"A worried parent?"

At Tamaki's words, Hikaru froze. Trying to hold back his sadness, he slowly turned around to face his sempai, biting his lip as a couple tears escaped. Tamaki just smiled back sincerely at him, trying to look comforting and optimistic about all this. He could easily see the mix of worry, fear, and overall distress in Hikaru's usually mischievous-looking eyes, which usually gave off the impression that he was up to something to cause Tamaki some sort of trouble. Definitely not this time.

After the two of them stood there for some time with the other hosts watching sadly in the background, Hikaru finally collapsed into Tamaki's arms. Any sobs he was possibly crying out at the moment were muffled, his face buried deeply into his sempai's shoulder. Tamaki wasn't the least bit annoyed by this. Considering everything the poor guy had been going through, it was worth it to at least try to comfort him as much as possible. Tamaki didn't mind this at all; he wanted to just do all he could.

"Tono, I'm sorry that I keep doing this to you so much...crying into your sleeve and getting snot all over your clothes all the time...I never realized how weak I was until all this crap began happening. But still...why is this all happening to me? To Haruhi? She was always right this whole time...we're not ready...but it's so painful...but just why? How the hell did this even end up happening in the first place? It's so unfair and we can't handle this! I'm not strong enough for this crap...I don't know what the hell I was thinking before, that I was good enough...to be akachan's dad...now I know what Haruhi must've felt when she first found out she was pregnant..."

"Don't talk like that," Tamaki said sternly, but trying to sound comforting at the same time as he patted his back. "You're not weak, Hikaru. You've been toughing this out for so long, it didn't seem normal, especially for you. It's only normal that you're feeling stressed about this and it's okay. It's true strength to show how you really feel. But Hikaru, what's done is done and we can't go back and fix our mistakes. I mean, think about, _I_ wouldn't even exist then if it were possible."

"Tono, this is not a time for joking," Hikaru muttered, his face still buried into Tamaki's sleeve. Tamaki frowned at that statement, realizing that he seriously needed to get through to the poor guy.

"Okay, I'm sorry, but that's just my point." At that point, Tamaki broke their semi-hug and grabbed his shoulders, staring him in the eye intently. Hikaru was surprised; his tono was rarely this grim-looking, or serious to begin with. "I don't want to sound insensitive, Hikaru, but it's already happened and you have to embrace it. You know that you don't have to give him up if you don't want to, but you know that when the time does come, you have to make a choice and stick with it. But whichever you choose, you _have_ to make sure it's what's in _everyone's _best interest, even your own. Either way, I swear to you that it'll be fine. Even better than fine, I just know everything will be great for you again." Hikaru, wiping away the last of his tears, noticed Tamaki's serious expression soften a lot and saw him slightly smiling again. "And again, you're definitely not being weak, Hikaru. Like I said, you're just a worried dad. Nothing to be ashamed of."

Hikaru couldn't help but smile again at that. The other hosts did as well as they looked on. They knew Tamaki was right. If only he always acted this smart.

"Thanks Tono. I can't help thinking that this is the kind of stuff Kaoru would be telling me right now." Hikaru laughed at that statement, as did Tamaki as he let go of Hikaru's shoulders. "And you're definitely right about everything. And I know that if I was actually by some miracle able to move past Kaoru's death, I should be able to conquer anything now."

"I'm glad you're feeling better now, Hikaru, but...I'm not sure if now's the time to be celebrating anything."

Everyone's smiles disappeared as Kyoya, who was _still_ doing _something _on his phone, spoke. They all surrounded him to look at whatever stuff he was looking at, pretty much clueless as to what it could've been.

"Kyo-chan, what's wrong?"

"I read this text that Haruhi sent us a week ago that told me the name of the ocean liner she'd be on. After looking it up, I found out the area it's in and that it just disembarked earlier today. She should be back home within two weeks time now."

"O-kay...and what's not to celebrate, Kyoya-sempai?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow, still just as confused as the other hosts as to what the problem was.

"Well...as I was looking up the ship's route, I also came across the forecast for the next couple weeks, and...in the areas the ship's going through, it's supposed to be...very stormy."

"Oh," the others, minus Mori, said in realization.

It took a few seconds for the meaning of that to sink into all of their heads. Their immediate reactions were quite predictable once it did: freaking out and shouting to the heavens (at least in Tamaki's case).

"Oh no! Poor Haru-chan! I bet she's so scared right now!"

"Yeah."

"_**No!**_ My poor little girl! She must be shaking in pure terror right now! That's it! I must be with her right now to comfort her from the horrible thunder!"

"Absolutely not!" At Tamaki's statement, Hikaru almost immediately knocked him over the head with the end of his chainsaw that didn't have the blade, knocking him right out cold. "I'm her husband for crying out loud! I have to go and make sure she's okay!" Hikaru declared proudly, standing right on top of his sempai with Honey and Mori staring up at him, (somewhat) in awe.

Almost literally out of nowhere and before any of them could object Hikaru's statement, a high-powered jet suddenly appeared right by the side of the road (which was a good explanation for all of the nearby vehicles that just fell onto their sides). Kyoya, Honey, and Mori's looks of astonishment transferred from Hikaru to said jet as Hikaru quickly ran to it and began getting inside.

"Hikaru, I don't think that's the best idea. You obviously have no idea how dangerous it would be for you to be flying through a storm right now! Plus, it'd take you a long time to fly over to wherever the ship is, let alone find it! It could be anywhere along the Pacific!" Kyoya objected, running over to the jet to scold Hikaru as he strapped himself in and put on his helmet.

"I don't care, Kyoya-sempai! I have to help her and be with her! I guess I'll see you in two weeks ten and I promise to call," Hikaru stated firmly as he closed his hatch. "Now let's go, sir!"

"You got it," the pilot responded as he fired up the jet, sending the two of them off as fast as he arrived.

Once they were gone, the remaining hosts that weren't still knocked out cold just stared at the dark skid marks left by the jet's tires. After standing their totally stumped for a bit, Kyoya cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. It was times like these that he wished that they _weren't _ridiculously rich and had access to _everything_ they could possibly want.

"Ugh, Kaoru was right. He's an idiot alright...but an idiot in love at least. But who really knows now...what's going to happen in the end."


	33. Stay, Be the One

(A/N: :( Wow...I can't believe how far this fic has come, but I'm honestly proud that I haven't stopped yet without finishing one for once! Anyway, I've loved and appreciated your guys' comments _so _frickin' much and I just know that you guys'll love these last chapters! A lot of their content kinda consists mainly on reflecting and are more descriptive than usual, so they might be a bit shorter, but I loved writing this one though! It's sad how near the end is now, but alas...so enjoy!)

* * *

_In it's own way...it's kind of a shame. I knew that it was bound to happen eventually; hell, I'm sure even Tono was...though I know for a fact that he wasn't looking forward to it in the least. Well, now that I think about it, I think that maybe he might have been the only one who was completely aware of it, at least until I realized it that one Halloween night._

_I didn't expect for it to happen as soon as it did though, or in the way it did. At least on the bright side, it happened somewhat in Hikaru's favor over Tono's, which makes me happy. Still...it's sad that it happened all together._

_The spell had been broken._

_It's hard to say exactly what particular event was the cause of it. Either way, everything was no longer the same afterwards, and everything would now be different for good. Nothing would be the same ever again. To put it simply, the family that Tono created by bringing us all together would never be the same exact family anymore with all the same people. Maybe it was when Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai graduated, or when Hikaru had gone AWOL, or when he and Haruhi eloped and officially became husband and wife (thereby committing, at least in Tono's mind, incest), or maybe even when Tono himself finally realized his feelings with Kyoya-sempai's help._

_Ugh, who am I kidding? It's clear to see that it was surely my fault that everything turned back into the pumpkin. It was obviously because of my death; there's no other explanation that can compare._

_Still, despite what my departure had done to all of them, especially my own twin brother, I just know that everything will turn out for the best. I'm glad that I already had the chance to comfort him once, and he does have all the others with him. Somehow, despite all his sorrow, all the tears he's shed, I know that he will feel complete once again soon and a new spell will be cast that will restore his happiness and keep his new family together. _His _family, even if I'm not in it, I know that it's the only thing that will keep him going anymore, whether he's aware of it yet or not..._

* * *

Hikaru would be lying if he said that he wasn't afraid of anything. Just a few things he would probably include in his list of fears: video games no longer being made, not getting to work in fashion like he always dreamt of, losing Kaoru (which sadly came true), losing Haruhi, his child's well-being getting threatened again, and especially at the moment, the storm he and the jet's pilot were flying rapidly through. In his desperate attempt to get to Haruhi the second he heard about the storm, he didn't give heed to Kyoya's advice about the fact about how dangerous it would be to be flying in the middle of an incredibly brutal storm. Now that he was actually doing so, he wished that for once, he actually listened to the advice of his (_much _smarter) sempai.

_'Damn! What the hell was I thinking?' _he thought fearfully as the jet, going who knew how many miles per hour (which was the only way they'd make it to the cruise ship in less than a day), flew right over the Pacific and through incredibly heavy rain and lightning. There was no doubt that Haruhi had to be completely terrified at that moment, considering her ship had to be passing through the same storm (which was actually quite lucky on his part, kind of). But despite their speed, Hikaru was definitely _way_ far past afraid of getting hit by a lightning bolt at any moment now.

Obviously, no matter how much he wanted to be with Haruhi and comfort her, he'd be no use to her if the jet got struck and was sent flying down into the ocean with him drowning in it.

"Sir, _please_ tell me that we're at least _somewhat _close to the ship now!" Hikaru yelled as loudly as his vocal chords would allow him to. It was certainly a challenge to get any words across with the speed they were going at, the roaring of the jet's engines, the heavy thumping of each rain drop landing on the jet, and the loud thunder mixed in with them.

"I think so, Hikaru-sama! I'm going to begin trying to reach a higher altitude so we'll be able to get positioned above the ship's pool area once we approach it! So right now, you should start getting your parachute and goggles ready and prepare to jump out within the next few minutes!" the pilot replied, somehow hearing Hikaru's words despite all of the other outside noises.

"Alrighty then!" Hikaru replied as he began doing as he was told to.

At the moment, Hikaru didn't even think about how weird (or just flat-out lucky) it was that they somehow made it to the ship in such little time or even found it among the vast area of the Pacific in the first place. As he began strapping on his parachute and snapping on his pair of goggles while trying to stand up in the jet as much as possible as the ship finally came into view (though it wasn't that close to them at all yet) and as the pilot began to fly higher. Hikaru's eyes expanded in wonder at how huge it was and that Haruhi could actually afford to travel on it. The latter of which was quite shallow of him to think of at the moment, but that was just him. He didn't take into account that Kyoya did send her tons of money not too long ago.

_'Oh boy...'_ he though nervously, gulping hard as he looked up at the dark, menacing-looking sky from which heavy rain drops continued to fall out of. _'The things I do for love...okay, you can do this, Hikaru. Just keep telling yourself that you definitely won't die. You definitely won't die. You __**definitely **__won't die.'_

The complete look of alarm on his face would've been noticeable to anyone, that is, if there was anyone else besides the pilot (who was busy focusing on his flying) to see. Screw the whole horse carriage incident, the danger in what he was about to do wasn't even comparable to back then, but there was no turning back now, just as the jet began to finally slow down a bit as it quickly began flying over the outdoor pool area on the ship. Considering the jet's speed, even if it was slowing down, Hikaru knew how swift he had to act if there was any chance of him actually landing on the ship as opposed to in the ocean.

"Alright, Hikaru-sama, get ready!" the pilot exclaimed as they were shifting upwards more.

_'Okay, this is it...Kaoru, please help me for God's sake!'_ Hikaru thought as he trembled, his teeth gritted in his current state of anxiety, but still tried to keep his game face on in order to feel more confident about this, which he wasn't really feeling at all.

Before he could even think anything else, the jet was right above the pool area. Obviously, it was completely devoid of any people. Just seconds before the jet was far past it, Hikaru immediately opened up the hatch and jumped.

Honestly, if he wasn't fearing for his life, he would've thought about how intense, action movie-like music would've been appropriate at that moment.

"_**Oh my God!**_" he screamed to the heavens the second he jumped right out of the jet, his limbs spread out in all directions as he began falling.

Once he quickly got a hold of himself, he desperately pulled the string on his parachute to open it up. Unfortunately, considering the hard drops of rain falling from the sky and lack of wind blowing in a convenient, it didn't help all that much (or at all) as it drooped almost right away upon being opened up. If he still wasn't in a terrified state of mind, he would've been cursing the pilot in his head for not thinking everything through and advising him to use the useless thing in the first place. But thankfully for Hikaru, after looking from the failed parachute to down where he was apparently going to land, he landed right into one of the pools before he could fully see where he was headed.

It took a few moments for Hikaru to rise fully to the surface of the water, then he just simply floated there in shock, his eyelids beginning to droop and his mouth involuntarily hanging open. The thunder could still be heard nearby and the rain was still coming down really hard, but Hikaru barely paid attention to it at that moment. He was just silently thanking the Lord for actually not dying from the ridiculously dangerous act he just did. After the realization that he wasn't dead fully occurred to him, his eyes shot back wide-open.

_'Okay, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to go inside the ship now,'_ he thought oh-so-cleverly to himself as he hurriedly unstrapped the parachute (which was getting heavy on him as it began absorbing water) and just left it in the pool as he ran out of it as fast as he could. _'_Now_ I should be able to get to her now without any problems! ...I hope.'_

He panted hard, looking incredibly tired and distressed, as he ran towards the closest door that led to the inside of the ship while removing his goggles and helmet. It didn't occur to him at the moment how strange it was that the cruise staff didn't bother to lock the doors leading to the pool area, but he wasn't focused on any little things like that at all for once. Haruhi was literally the only thing on his mind now as he hurried as quickly as his sore legs would take him to an information desk. For once, he didn't even worry about how much his clothes got ruined by all the water they had to have been soaked with.

In fact, for the first time in his life, he was actually worrying about someone else entirely over himself, and even without someone else having to tell him to do so...

* * *

_Wow...okay, I had always known that Hikaru wasn't much of a person who would think before acting, but that was seriously insane! Life-threatening even! Well, right now, I'm just grateful that he made it. While I love him and all, I'm not hoping that he joins me here anytime soon. I'm kinda just wishing that he could live long enough to at least live a somewhat full life with his family at the very least anyway._

_But despite his hot-headedness and occasional lack of common sense, I'm definitely proud of him for finally maturing, and even did so somewhat on his own. I can tell that he finally knows how to put others first and can communicate with them better. I'm honestly happy for him, for everything now..._

* * *

"Dammit, stupid info desk lady, taking three whole frickin' minutes to figure out Haruhi's room number and what floor she's on. And the stupid thunder won't die down," Hikaru grumbled impatiently to himself as he ran as hard as physically possible of him at this point down the staircase. He figured right away that the elevator and escalator would both be way too slow.

As he ran, he felt like he was running some ridiculously long marathon just to get to her room. He never once thought it would be possible, especially considering all the stuff he had gone through over the last nine months, but if he had to pick, this moment right now was probably the single most stressful for him.

All this time, throughout everyone's mourning periods over Kaoru's death (including his own), and even throughout Haruhi's entire pregnancy, Hikaru knew that this was probably the worst thunder storm during those time periods. And was also when she would need him the most, but it seemed like he wasn't getting to her quickly enough. His severaly stressed out mindset was bringing him down, but it wasn't going to stop him. Not one bit.

"Come on, not too much more now, please," he pleaded to no one in particular as he kept running. He paid no attention to any innocent bystanders that he ended up shoving out of the way as he kept going. Needless to say that he began to seriously lose any energy he had left in him to keep going, but at this point, his drive to be with the one he loved the most overpowered his tiredness by just enough.

The affliction in his eyes grew as he went forth, his speed decreasing as he physically began to weaken. He wasn't exactly the most athletically potent guy out there (and was certainly no Honey or Mori) and didn't know how much more he could take before he would pass out. But eventually, he finally arrived. As he finally came to a grinding halt, beginning to pant to death and hold onto his knees for support, his eyes lit up when he saw he was finally in front of the door leading into Haruhi's suite.

Wasting almost no time (other than to rest for maybe a couple seconds), he swiped the key the woman from the information desk gave him (after bribing her to do so) through the scanner and nearly slammed the door right open. Immediately scanning the dark room once he was inside and had closed the door behind him, he slowly made his way through it, his expression starting to look desperate to find where Haruhi could've been in it.

This particular suite was quite nice. The room was mainly a red and blue color scheme all around and was very big for only one occupant. It included a queen-sized bed, a full kitchen area, a smallish living room-like area, and a large walk-in closet, at least from what Hikaru could see as he stepped in. These were likely the nicest living conditions she had probably ever lived in before. Snapping himself out of such shallow thoughts, he felt his energy slightly recharge and he immediately began going through literally almost every open area she could've possibly been hiding in; he looked underneath the bed, inside the closet, every cabinet big enough for someone to go into, but to no avail.

"Haruhi? Are you alright? Come on, where are you? It's just me, Hikaru. I swear, there's nothing to worry about. I'm here now," he called out loudly in attempt to get her attention, trying to sound at least somewhat comforting while also not appearing too tense at the same time, but got no sort of response from her. "Oh man..."

After getting back down on his knees and poking his head underneath the bed one last time, he froze for a second when he realized she wasn't _anywhere _he checked; he then stood up slowly and found himself collapsing right on top of the bed, panting very heavily again as he lay there, completely wiped out at that point and was even feeling kind of defeated. Beginning to feel like he had failed Haruhi, he rolled over onto his back after a few minutes and stared up at the ceiling in pure agony, a look of hopelessness coming across his face. His face fell as he began to feel like he was on the verge of passing out.

"Come on, where could she be...?" he said to himself tiredly as he felt his eyelids becoming heavier with each passing second, but he refused to fall asleep. Not now anyway, especially with the continuous roaring thunder right outside the ship still going on. He could see how bright it was right from the suite's window. Definitely not a pleasant sight, especially for someone like Haruhi who dreaded seeing (and especially hearing) it.

However, with that thought it mind, it finally hit him, and he immediately cursed himself in his head for not thinking about it earlier as he shot right up on the bed. A look of enlightenment came across his face as well, his eyes widening and all feelings of tiredness somehow instantly evaporating.

"Duh! How the hell did I forget to check the bathroom for crying out loud?" He smacked himself in the face with him palm, somewhat ashamed of his forgetfulness, but he quickly got over it and jumped right off the bed to head right over to the door he figured led into the suite's bathroom.

Hikaru, after coming to this realization, got up off of the bed and began to head towards what he was sure was the bathroom door, which he somehow didn't even notice until now when he thought about it. However, he found himself sweating hard and hesitating somewhat as he walked. He wasn't sure why, but he felt just a twinge of even more nervousness as he walked, which would have explained why his feet seemed to be taking their sweet time dragging him over to it. He couldn't help but stare anxiously at the closed door before him.

_'Oh man, I hope she's okay. She must be freaking out right now.' _At that thought, the anxiety in Hikaru's eyes began to mix with melancholy.

As the thunder roared outside, he just stood almost frozen in front of the door. He didn't really understand whatever it was that was making him so hesitant to go in. It could've possibly been some sort of fear of confrontation with her, considering how much they had bickered the last couple times they had talked. Right now, that was pretty much the last thing Hikaru wanted them to resort to, especially in this situation, even though he was sure they made up; still, it was definitely nerve-wrecking in a way.

He sighed heavily as he slowly reached his hand out towards the doorknob, but he suddenly yelped in surprise and practically fell over completely on his feet as the ship suddenly shook, most likely due to a bolt that struck really close to the ship.

"Oh God!" he exclaimed as he started toppling over, but thankfully, he just barely fell right onto the door, clutching the knob tightly as he panted hard, trying to regain his composure. His fearful expression returned instantly as he tried standing up again.

As he did so, he apparently didn't notice a vase of roses fall right off the small coffee table due to the quaking. The vase shattered into ten billion pieces upon making contact with the floor and upon impact, most of the flowers' petals came right off and scattered. The only exceptions were two, one red and one blue, that retained almost all of their petals and landed neatly right next to each other, their soil still sticking to their roots. Along with those two roses, their was a bud, still unopened, sitting nicely in between them, though it certainly looked like it was on the verge of blooming very soon.

"Oh, screw it!" he grumbled angrily to himself once he got himself pretty much together again and, glaring at the knob, turned it forcefully and roughly threw the door open, resulting in him almost falling over again, but he caught himself in time.

Upon the opening of the door, he brief state of anger abruptly ended as his eyes, widening in surprise (even though he wasn't shocked at what he saw), landed right onto poor Haruhi, blocking out any other possible thing that would otherwise divert his attention from her. Hikaru's mouth hung open slightly and he felt his eyes just barely tearing up when he saw, right from the door, Haruhi sitting all along in the huge whirlpool bathtub, trembling to death. Obviously unable to hug her knees to her chest, she had her arms wrapped protectively around her middle and her face looking downwards (making whatever expression she was wearing out of his view), her whimpering barely audible to Hikaru, but he could definitely hear it. He also noticed that she had small earbuds stuck in her ears that were plugged into a small ipod that was sitting right on the tub floor at her side; while that probably helped somewhat, just like back at Karuizawa, her restless shaking was a good indicator that she was still terrified by the presently occurring storm. Naturally, it all contributed to the heart-shattering feeling Hikaru began to feel.

Hikaru, standing frozen stiff at the doorway staring at her, looked onto her sadly, feeling a sort of sorrow he had never felt before. His heart felt like it was breaking as he watched the girl he loved going through what always caused her the most emotional suffering. Maybe it was all a part of real love, but he didn't really know what to make of it. All he knew at that moment was that he felt like he was dying as he gazed at her. A few tears slowly ran down his face as he swallowed hard and began slowly making his way over to her.

"Haruhi..." was all that could come out of his mouth as he walked in front of the bathtub, looking right down at her, seeing even more clearly how much she had to have been suffering.

He had no clue what else he could say. That itself didn't get her attention at all. Blinking back a couple more oncoming tears, he exhaled heavily and stepped carefully into the bathtub himself, situating himself right next to her. He realized how similar this was to the whole thing in Karuizawa, but this time, he realized that he didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable.

Once he was sitting right at her side, he felt his sadness increase tenfold once he saw that she had her eyes shut tight, teeth gritted, and she herself was even lightly crying; her expression was filled with nothing else but pure fright and angst. Hikaru had the willpower to keep from just flat-out sobbing at the sight.

"Haruhi, I'm here now...I...I promise you, it's gonna be okay..." he said quietly, his voice shaking hard as he tried sitting more so that he was facing her straight on and carefully wrapped his arms around her, her chin then resting right on his shoulders.

He obviously had no clue if she really noticed him before he did so or not, but she was at that point, well aware now that he was there. As he embraced her as much as he could while just sitting in the bathtub, resisting the urge to cry anymore himself, she found her own crying coming to a pause as she felt an alleviating feeling of warmth comsume her. Hikaru couldn't see, but all traces of sadness disappeared from her expression as she began embracing the love and comfort he was obviously trying to give to her. She didn't even bother questioning how or why he was here in the first place, nor did she want to. She was just happy and overall grateful that he was here at all, thunder or not, though she was especially feeling less fearful because so.

"Hikaru..." she whispered into his ear as she began calming down. He clearly heard her and, while he continued to hold her as he had been doing for a bit, felt so relieved to hear her speak finally. Haruhi sniffled before speaking again, "I...I think...akachan's feeling my own anxiety...and...is becoming really restless..."

After taking a second to let his mind absorb what she just said, Hikaru, somehow knowing almost immediately what to do, slowly released his hold on her (which he _hated _to do). Haruhi, not having a clue what he was going to do, just sat there somewhat dumbfounded as she wiped away her own tears, but she instantly began shaking at another roar of thunder. Hikaru, noticing this, frowned, but shook it off as he took his own ipod out of his pocket and hastily began looking through his song list. He really didn't know specifically what to look for, but inside, he felt confident that he'd pick something that would be calming.

He suddenly felt a jolt of relief when he came across what he thought was a good choice ("Innocence" by Miyuki Hashimoto) and smashed the play button with his thumb. Still somewhat in tears, trembling, and concerned with how hard and continous her baby was kicking her (out of fear, she had guessed), Haruhi looked at him curiously as he took off his headphones (that had somehow avoided shorting out after getting drenched in the rain). She was especially taken aback when he twisted one of them and held it against her stomach. Still frowning, he honestly hadn't a clue if it would work like it did with Haruhi or if akachan could even hear it, but he had a glimmer of determination in his eye as he hoped for it to work. Haruhi's gaze went back and forth from him and where he was holding the headphone; she wasn't initially sure what to make of what he was trying to do, but soon understood. While she was still teary on the outside, inside, she felt even more comforted

"Well? Do you think he's calmed down now?" Hikaru asked nervously after the song had played for about a minute, looking up distressfully at Haruhi, who definitely looked more content and like she was feeling better, which made sense since the thunder _finally_ sounded like it was beginning to become less audible.

"Yeah, I don't feel anymore really hard kicks...thank you so much, Hikaru...for coming...but, you really didn't have to...it had to have been dangerous to come her during the storm..." she said quietly as she looked right back at him, her expression looking far less stressed out at that point.

"I'm glad that he's feeling better, Haruhi, but I..." Hikaru gulped nervously as he looked back at her; he obviously wasn't feeling nearly as chilled out about this though. Haruhi could easily see the still-present fear in his eyes. "I was just scared to death. I didn't...want you to be alone during this...I...I just...I love you that much and..."

Hikaru apparently had some trouble getting it out as he said it, even though he had said those words so many times already. Had he never professed his love to her before, the extremely nervous and fearful expression he had on would've been expected. Yet somehow, it always felt just as nerve-wracking every time, which could've only been another indication that what he felt for her was true. Haruhi, thinking of it that way, realized that a small smile had somehow crept across her face just as she brought her forefingers to Hikaru's lips to keep him from rambling on hesitatingly anymore. He was certainly surprised that she did so, but he stopped letting his mouth run when she did so, and also took back his headphones and shut off the ipod.

"I can tell Hikaru. You don't need to keep saying it."

Hikaru had to be honest to himself: he felt somewhat hurt by her usual bluntness, but that could've just been him being sensitive, as usual. His serious expression didn't falter one bit. Haruhi noticed that he was a bit insulted by that, but she wasn't surprised by that at all. She kept smiling at him as she continued.

"I love that you love me Hikaru, I'm really glad that you do because..." Haruhi sniffled again as she tried to get her words out, which was kind of hard to do when Hikaru was staring so intently at her. "I...I...I...love you, too..."

Needless to say that at those words, Hikaru's seriousness vanished right away. A look of pure shock came across his face; his eyes widened and his mouth hung right open again. He couldn't believe it. Many times she had said it, but she always added something else, usually along the lines of that she loved him like a best friend or like one of the other hosts. But no. This time, he knew what she meant. He just couldn't believe it.

"W...wh...what...?" was all he could find himself saying in response, his voice shaky as he tried to get something intelligible out.

Before he even had that opportunity to try again, all of a sudden and _completely _unexpectedly, he found her softly locking her lips with his. That also wasn't something his mind grasped right away, but once it did grasp what was happening, Hikaru gladly responded back.


	34. Together

(A/N: Oh man, I _greatly_ apologize for the longer delay on this one and that it ended up shorter than I intended! I've been so stuck on this chapter, even though I knew a _long_ time ago how it would pan out. I'll admit it right now: I had half of this chapter written and was trying to finish, but then scrapped it because after looking it over, I thought it was so bad that I had to completely rewrite it. I've honestly _never_ written serious romantic stuff before, so I hope it's at least somewhat satisfying.

Also, I'll let you guys know right now: there is definitely no lemon in this [maybe an implied one if you try looking _really really really _closely, but I don't refer to anything directly], I swear. I'm keeping this fic T and I would probably fail at writing one anyway.)

* * *

The sand of a metaphorical hourglass began falling not too long ago. In fact, after about a sixth of the sand had fallen into the lower half of the thing, the falling of the remaining sand mysteriously sped up.

* * *

_Ugh, the first day of school. Even if it was the first day of high school for Hikaru and I, which was _supposedly _some huge deal or whatever, it wasn't any big deal to us and we still dreaded having to get up so early after being able to sleep in so late during spring break. Plus, while we did end up liking it and sticking with it, we'd have to resume our host club duties, which were sometimes tiring. While it's kinda fun, keeping up our twincest act isn't all a walk in the park. Oh well. I guess there are things in this world that can't ever be avoided, no matter what. And on the bright side, the high school uniforms were _way _better-looking compared to the slightly nerdy-looking junior high ones._

_Speaking of things in the world that can't be avoided..._

_The beginning of that aforementioned first day started off like any other. We found our homeroom, mingled a little with the other students we'd be stuck with all year (which was something we only recently became accustomed to making an effort to do since we began opening up a little), then retreated to our assigned desks where I watched Hikaru play his DS. Yeah, same as always. Nothing of any real importance or worth remembering._

_Well, at least until...she walked in._

_Though needless to say that at the time, we were pretty positive that she was a 'he'. Once the door opened, everyone in the room, along with me and Hikaru, stopped with whatever we were 'busy' doing. Our eyes were practically burning holes in the horrifically-dressed smarty-pants commoner who had gotten a full scholarship we had all heard about. 'He' was actually gonna be in our class. _

_Everyone stared at 'him' in awe for a few seconds. Not that I really remember, but I'm sure my and Hikaru's expressions were probably a bit more indifferent compared to those of the other kids. Despite being a bit more socially open-minded and the rarity of someone like 'him' gaining entrance into Ouran, our interest quickly disintegrated. We went almost right back to our game._

'Hmm, it's that scholarship guy we heard about. Whatever.' _I'm almost positive that that's what had to have been going through Hikaru's head at the time, 'cause those were also my thoughts exactly._

_To be honest, no one's interest lasted all that long either. Everyone resumed whatever conversations they were holding as the mysterious scholarship student entered the room and took 'his' seat. Though not really all that curious, I did notice out of the corner of my eye and past 'his' glasses, he had on somewhat of an indifferent expression himself. Again, couldn't have really cared less, but I was slightly intrigued with how the entire first day, I didn't once see 'him' even attempt to strike a conversation with anyone. All day, 'he' was just totally devoted to his work. _

_But other than those things, there was absolutely no reason for me to take any sort of interest in 'him'. To me, 'he' was only some nerdy, poorly-dressed commoner who was in my and my brother's class for at least our first year of high school, if not, he'd be in two or even all three of them._

Never _in ten billion years did it ever occur to me that this 'guy' would also end up becoming not only our closest friend...but also the love of Hikaru's life _and_ the mother of his child. At that moment, it still didn't even occur to me that he would possibly be able to even find such a girl..._

* * *

Once the storm had finally begun to settle down, the menacing clouds vanished and the glistening moon shined as night fell, making the atmosphere much calmer and...romantic, in a way. Surely the ship's passengers were much more content that the storm had finally died out, but definitely no more than two in particular (one of whom wasn't really even a registered passenger).

The bright moonlight shined brightly through the glass doors that connected Haruhi's cabin to its balcony that overlooked the vast Pacific. But the glare from the moon barely even disturbed her and Hikaru, who were both sprawled comfortably on top of the cabin's king-sized bed underneath the covers, Hikaru lovingly embracing Haruhi in his arms as they slumbered away through the night. Sparkling in the moonlight were Haruhi's wedding bands, which were now rightfully resting right on her left ring finger.

Any conflict between the two had finally reached an impasse, their love being sealed by them actually making love with each other for the second time (though it was like the first time for Hikaru). Only this time, it was with both of their consent and both were fully aware of what was going on.

_'Hmm...is it morning already?' _Haruhi thought to herself groggily, wincing as she struggled to open her eyes. During the little bit of...'interaction' she and Hikaru had, it would be needless to say that she had lost practically any sense of time, considering how 'busy' the two of them were and how tired they had become afterwards.

Groaning to herself, she carefully began trying to sit up in the bed, but became stiff after coming to a realization. Stopping in her tracks, her eyes widened as she noticed that she was, in fact, _completely _nude. Not exactly the most comfortable thing to wake up to. Looking downwards, not really expecting to see herself in only her 'birthday suit', she was only met with more shock when she noticed a certain pair of arms wrapped around her expanded waist, though there was no mystery as to whose arms they were. But despite the surprise, it only took a few seconds for her to fully register the whole little situation. She then exhaled heavily and her eyes retracted in relief.

_'Oh yeah, I can't believe I almost forgot,' _she thought sheepishly to herself as she scratched the back of her head, a small smile appearing on her face as she looked behind her to see her lover still fast asleep. His body faced hers as he continued snoozing, his head resting on its side on a pillow with his arms still locked around her. He didn't look graceful to her _at all_, unlike how she apparently did to him, but there was just something about watching him sleep that make her feel just the littlest bit euphoric anyway.

After gazing at him for an unintentionally long time, the young mother-to-be, not in the mood to be in the nude any longer, lightly kissed her beloved (on the lips even) and carefully slipped out of his arms in order to get off of the bed as quietly as possible. After looking over the dark room as best she could, she attempted to make the least noise possible while walking over to where her bra and panties were lying. Frowning down at them, she crouched down as much as she could to pick them up and put them back on with haste. A part of her definitely felt disgusted with what she and Hikaru had done not all that long, yet at the same time, she couldn't deny that she enjoyed it. _A lot._

_'God, what were we thinking?'_ She sighed at this thought, crouching back down onto the floor to grab the rest of her clothing, feeling a stronger than usual need to tidy up despite her severe discomfort (possibly due to the whole nesting thing), but stopped and found herself staring straight ahead of her in deep thought. The recent events that led up to the intercourse they just had with each other flooded right back into her mind. She remembered them all quite clearly, and they were definitely memorable moments.

Right after she had confessed and instigated their little make-out session, they both pulled away very slowly, staring into each other's eyes for some time while they just sat there in the bathtub. It was just a nice feeling that was surely mutual, just looking longingly at each other, with it being just the two of them. But obviously, that wasn't going to last forever (and knowing Hikaru, he would definitely get bored at some point, despite loving the moment). To her surprise, she then soon found herself getting picked up and being carried bridal style by him right out of the bathroom. She wouldn't have ever thought to object and wasn't the least bit short of enjoying every second of it. Even though neither of them were true romantics in the least, she was even able to appreciate such a gesture on his part, especially considering he didn't even whine once about how heavy she was. She expected him to at any moment, yet he never did.

As she thought of this, a smile returned to Haruhi's face. It was refreshing to not be stressed or upset over something of Hikaru's doing for once in who knew how long.

Then, right after he had taken her into the bedroom area of the cabin..._it_ began. He gingerly placed her on top of the bed and she simply lay there motionlessly as he carefully got in it with her. At that moment, it hadn't taken too long for what was going on to sink into her head, but to her shock, she was honestly all for it. Soon enough, she found them resuming their little love fest, only it was _far_ more intense and involved much more than kissing. Any garments covering any parts of their bodies were quickly discarded and...well, the rest was pretty much history.

But Haruhi, remembering all this, looked up at the ceiling solemnly, her smile vanishing. She'd be totally lying if she said she didn't enjoy it, no matter how wrong it all was. However, when she really thought about it, was anything going on in their lives even the slightest bit _right_ anymore?

As she pondered this, her head fell right into her hands as she became stressed just by thinking about it. _'God, I'm starting to get so sick of this, if I wasn't sick of it all already.'_

As expected, she, and probably Hikaru as well, couldn't ever fully rid of these kinds of thoughts, because, even if they finally were happily with each other, it still felt like nothing was right anymore, no matter what. Not even such a joyful moment like what they just had could make it all go away.

In fact, now that she thought about it more deeply, it was actually this sort of 'intercourse' between the two of them that really started a lot of this in the first place. Now those were memories Haruhi would've greatly preferred to block out of her mind for good, but as they began flooding her mind as well, she quickly found herself ready to tear up yet again, but for an understandable reason at least. She lightly whimpered and quivered where she sat as those dreadful memories began resurfacing.

_'Oh no...'_

* * *

_She couldn't take it anymore. She felt like she wanted to just drop dead, be in the exact same state as his brother was._

_About halfway through this whole ordeal, she decided to just shut her eyes as tightly as possible and ended up freezing up, which, unfortunately, only made it that much easier for him to invade her, but she had given up at that point. She couldn't bare to stare up any longer at such a sinister expression on his face as he continued to torture her in what was literally the most unimaginable way possible. She had lost all will to resist any longer; there was pretty much no chance of her getting out of it anyway, considering how far he had gone and what was already now done._

_He had stolen her virginity, and in addition, lost his own as well._

_She didn't want to think about that though. While she was greatly ashamed that it had happened in the most undesirable way possible, she was definitely more concerned with what he was _still _doing to her and just how physically and emotionally painful it was. It didn't help that it was one of her own best friends inflicting such torture onto her, even if it was completely unintentional. Sadly, there was nothing for her to do anymore but just squeeze her eyes shut and bare it until he decided he was through. _

_As he continued, she couldn't help but whimper as he snickered menacingly, evidently finding some sort of amusement in the way she was openly dreading all of this. After the tragedy that had only occurred not too long ago, she prayed for him to smile and find joy in his life again. But this was _far_ from what she had in mind._

_"Hikaru, I'm begging you, please, stop this already..." she begged him quietly as her suffering commenced, still unable to just merely glance up at him. Hikaru's only form of response was some evil-sounding cackling, which was a good enough indication that he would not heed to her wish. She pretty much expected so._

_Finally, after who knew how long, he stopped, but only because he became too tired. Haruhi hesitantly opened her eyes once she felt him collapse right on top of her, fast asleep. She let out a _huge_ sigh of relief and shoved him off; he ended up on his back, sleeping right at her side. After catching her breath and regaining any energy still within her, she sat up on the futon as much as possible, still gasping heavily. Her fearful eyes scanned the bed. Blood and certain...fluids soaked the sheets. She knew she'd have to strip them off the bed as soon as possible. _

_But what really almost brought her to even more tears was the sleeping boy right next to her. She resisted the urge to sob as she looked down at him. It was difficult for her to accept that he was the monster who had just soiled her. She just didn't want to believe it actually happened, but the blood she could feel continuing to flow out of her proved otherwise._

_Getting off of the futon and hurrying to the bathroom as quietly as she could while trying to keep the blood from dripping out of her anymore with one hand, she closed the door and crouched onto the floor, bawling her eyes out so she could let out all of her cooped-up anguish._

'Oh Hikaru...why?'_ was the only thing going through her mind as she sat there, her heart aching severely, not even considering the usually obvious potential consequence of what he had done to her. Because maybe then, she could've done something about it before it was too late._

* * *

Haruhi honestly hadn't a clue how long that had all lasted, nor did she really care to remember. All she could recollect in terms of how long it all dragged on for was that it seemed endless. At the time, death seemed far more appealing than all the agony Hikaru was putting her through. When it did finally reach it's climax, she was grateful, but it really didn't matter. She was forever scarred by it.

Seriously, now that she really thought about it, she couldn't even believe now that she just did it with him _again_ so easily, whether she was in love with him or otherwise!

She shivered anxiously where she sat on the cabin floor, the tears slowly beginning to run down her cheeks again, burying her face in her hands in distress. She had not thought about that little incident in months, and there was no other way for her to react to such memories.

_'Oh my God...I still can't believe that actually happened...when just now...it felt so good...doing it with him. But just...why? Why did it have to happen to me...? It...it just makes no sense!'_ Her hands trembled tremendously at these thoughts.

She choked on her sobs, trying her best not to let them out in order to not wake up her husband, but it proved difficult as her memories and the affliction that came with them continued to torment her. Trying to fight any tears still trying to escape, she took her hands off of her head and felt the urge to hug her knees to her chest. However, during her dreadful flashback, she had briefly forgotten about the consequence of Hikaru's actions, the exact same one she didn't ponder at all when she did actually have enough time to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Sniffling and wiping the couple of fallen tears with one of her arms, she despondently looked down at her belly, which was completely exposed since she had still yet to put the rest of clothes back on other than her bra and panties. She had been surprised that at eight months, she already looked big enough to go into labor at any moment. But at that moment, reflecting on how she actually got pregnant in the first place, she had never pitied her child more than she did right then. The circumstances under which he or she was conceived (through unintentional rape, with his or her parents being only fifteen and sixteen, with his or her father being a recovering alcoholic, and just after his or her uncle passed away) were the absolute worst. And with all the other inconveniences thrown into the equation (Haruhi's stress, the miscarriage of the other baby, her unintentional alcohol consumption, etc., etc.), Haruhi was astounded that this baby was still okay.

"Oh God...I'm so sorry, akachan..." She began gasping, finding it difficult to breathe as she spoke. She almost lost control of her emotions as she felt the baby squirm a little once she spoke. "I'm sorry, you don't deserve this...any of this, and I'm so sorry...but I love you, so much...and so does Daddy. And I promise you, once you're here, we'll be sure to take care of you ourselves as best as we can. We're both definitely going to mess up, we already have, but...we'll try, I promise you, and...I...I'm sorry..."

That was it. Not even thinking about the sleeping Hikaru anymore or the horrid memories of him raping her, Haruhi let it all out. Not even when it was thundering did so many sobs come out. Wrapping her arms comfortingly around her rounded middle, she wept like never before. Not when she first found out she was pregnant, or when she miscarried, or when she and Hikaru visited the graveyard, or any of those times when they argued.

Right then, it was all about and _only_ about the baby. Her _and _Hikaru's baby.

"I absolutely swear...we'll take care of you, and we'll be a family, and...we just love you so much..." she whimpered lightly, unaware that a certain someone was looking down at her and listening to every word coming out of her mouth.

"Haruhi..."

At the sound of his voice, which sounded raspier than usual, Haruhi stiffened immediately and the waterworks somehow came to an abrupt stop. Swallowing hard, she slowly began turning her head around, only stopping when she made perfect eye contact with her lover. Her eyes widened upon seeing the look on his face.

Looking right at him, she saw him sitting up in the bed, using his arms for support, but they were slightly wobbling as he shook. It was, for once, actually difficult for Haruhi to make out Hikaru's expression. She could only describe it as being one of both sadness and complete shock. His mouth hung wide open and his usually bright amber eyes were enlarged, but looked somewhat dulled with tears falling right out of them, running down his own cheeks. Whatever kind of expression it was, it was moving enough to make Haruhi's own waterworks resume.

"Hikaru, I...I'm sorry if I woke you up. I was...I was just...getting my clothes and..." Haruhi, trying to wipe her tears again as she struggled to stand back up, found it hard to find the right words to say, considering the slight awkwardness in the present situation. As Haruhi was uncomfortably trying to reach out to get the rest of her clothes, Hikaru's eyes contracted and he grimly looked down at the pregnant girl, who was obviously taken aback by his sudden awakening.

"Forget the rest of your clothes for a minute and get back in here."

Haruhi stopped and looked back up at him. She was a bit surprised by how serious he now looked and how his request sounded a little more like a direct command. Either way, she found herself finally getting completely on her feet (but not easily) and back in bed with Hikaru, who quickly pulled her close to him. She felt like she shouldn't have been startled when he suddenly locked their lips and shared yet another passionate kiss, but it was all still new for the both of them. She loved the feeling so much, to finally really_ be_ with him. Her heart pounded. It was incredible. Unfortunately, after a moment, he decided to break it. That startled her as well, but not as much as the sorrowful look in his eyes when he looked down at her. Any bliss she had just been feeling quickly went away.

"Hikaru, I-" she attempted to start, but he beat her to it.

"Did you mean all of that, Haruhi? Did you really mean it?" Haruhi stared up at him, stunned as he spoke, noting how choked up he sounded and how pleading his eyes looked.

"Mean what, Hikaru?" she asked him, being as clueless as ever about what he was specifically referring to. She was still finding it hard to breathe, the two of them being so close to each other, but only kept looking at him more in awe as she noticed him looking down pensively at her bare stomach before affectionately caressing it.

"The two of us keeping the baby. The two of us, raising him, and being a family, and not giving him up to someone else," he said grimly, not directing his eyes away from her massive bump as he kept his hand practically glued to it. Haruhi, looking back and forth from where his hand lay to his face, still found herself at a loss for words, but he quickly broke the brief silence. "Because...you're right, we would make mistakes and there probably are people out there who would be better parents, but...I love akachan too, and I want us to be together, the three of us."

Haruhi could've sworn that she saw more tears beginning to escape his eyelids again, but he didn't bother to wipe them. It was all making her heart ache even more, as his probably was as well, but hearing him say all of this also made her feel blissful again. Finally, everything was beginning to work itself out.

A very small smile crept upon her face.

"Really, Hikaru? You...you still want this? Are you sure?" she choked out quietly, sniffling again.

"Yes...I do, Haruhi. And...I'm sorry too, akachan," he said sorrowfully as he slightly bent down, biting his lip nervously as he did. "I'm sorry that you've gone through all of this too...but I swear, I'll try as hard as I can at this because I...I love you."

Haruhi blinked hard in surprise when he lightly kissed her stomach, but it only made her feel even more joyful on the inside, especially when he sat back up and embraced her again, a smile finally returning to his face as he held her. No more words were needed. It was a joyful moment for both of them, with both of them finally being in harmony with one another. The romantic moonlight filling the room set the mood perfectly as they sat there, loving the moment.

"Hikaru..." Haruhi began, locked in his arms with her head resting in his chest and a wide smile on her face. "I..."

She froze up again immediately. While Hikaru kept on grinning, his face buried in her hair, Haruhi's smile disappeared as she looked down at where they sat. Her eyes expanded and her mouth hung open. She smacked a hand across it after coming to a quick discovery.

Some liquid that obviously came out of her was soaking the sheets beneath them. The only explanation that came to Haruhi's mind: her water broke. (That explanation was only proven more true when she began to feel a sharp pain occurring somewhere in her body, most likely a contraction.)

"Oh no..." she said fearfully as she began panting heavily. She felt tears beginning to come out again, but this time out of stress rather than just sadness, though this was quite sad. Being premature was something she wanted to avoid so desperately, but now it didn't seem like an option anymore. It was astounding how long it took Hikaru to notice that something was wrong with her.

"Hmm? What is it, Haruhi?" he asked her, still smiling as he slowly released her from his embrace. The second he let her go, he frowned when he finally noticed how laboriously she was gasping for air and clutching her exposed middle. It worried him further when she suddenly fell against the bed's headboard, leaning on it on her back for support. "Um...is something wrong, Haruhi...?"

Furrowing his brow, he realized something was seriously off when he felt something wet beneath him. Hesitantly, he looked down at where he sat. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw how wet the sheets were, considering they weren't less than a minute ago.

_'Okay, that's weird...and kinda gross,' _he thought as he grimaced, looking back up at Haruhi. "Haruhi, what the hell is...Haruhi?" Once he looked up at her and saw how tired her expression was, it all finally clicked in his mind.

_'...Oh crap! But how could she already be going into labor? She's a month early! Unless...no...oh God...it's all my fault...for having sex with her...'_

* * *

All of the hourglass's sand had fallen to the bottom half. Once it all did so, the bottom half suddenly shattered, all the sand spilling right out of it rapidly.


	35. Once and For Real

(A/N: Okay, I honestly feel terrible for doing that ['that' being taking what probably seemed like years to update] _again_ and making the wait even longer this time guys! But, I _really _had trouble writing this and re-wrote it a couple times, no joke. [Alright, that's a pretty crappy excuse...] Thankfully, I'm on vacation now, and now that we're getting closer to the story's climax, I'll hopefully be more inclined to update now that it's gonna get more exciting at this point. Anyway, my goal is [for a _very_ specific reason] to get this done by or at least not too long after Christmas. You'll see why when it happens. ;)

* * *

_As she gazed in desolation at the 8-week sonogram in her trembling hands, she exited the doctor's office to meet up with her dad in the building's waiting room, assuming that he went there to wait for her once the appointment was over. She trudged on slowly through the hallway, only looking up slightly every once in awhile just to see where she was walking. She did end up bumping into one wall at some point just as she got to the door leading into the waiting room, but she was practically unfazed by it and went on without a thought about it._

_Like hell was she able to focus on where she was going. The poor girl, who only fifteen years old at the time and who was _raped _nearly two months ago by one of her best friends, just found out she was pregnant, and with twins no less. She was obviously confounded by this discovery and unsure about what to do about it all at that moment. It all still needed to sink in. _

_It likely seemed as if the situation couldn't have been worse, yet she was surprised that she somehow hadn't broken down yet. But she was smart; she knew it'd only be a matter of time before it would all truly sink into her head and she would come crumbling down. Her barriers weren't _that_ strong._

* * *

_Ranka, in the midst of all this, didn't know what shocked him the most:_

_First, he was _far _beyond the definition of dismayed that Hikaru, one of the boys he trusted so_ _much over the course of the school year to take care of his daughter, would make such horrible decisions that ultimately led to him hurting his poor Haruhi. Throughout her entire life, he had dedicated his own to protecting her no matter what, hence his dislike for Tamaki for just simply being on top of her. But the thought (and eventual reality) of someone _raping_ her? That was out of the question for _all_ the hosts, unless one of them had the desire to enter an early grave._

_Second, he was absolutely devastated when he learned of his little girl's newly found-out 'condition'. He knew that this kind of thing wasn't really all that unusual and could happen to anyone, but still, Haruhi? What'd she ever do wrong? Many girls her age who ended up pregnant were having sex on purpose, despite the potential consequences. They were idiots for doing it at all. But Haruhi...she didn't even mean to 'do it' with Hikaru in the first place. He was the one who was at fault here, not her, so it definitely didn't seem right that Haruhi was the one paying for it the most. _

_Upon her telling him the news after her appointment, he was also at a loss as to what they would do about it at that moment. But living up to what he told her before he appointment began, he still had a gut feeling that, in spite of it, everything would turn out okay. He still believed it no matter what._

_But thirdly, the fact that she didn't break down when she told him the diagnosis shocked him to the core. This whole situation was certainly not something to be taken well...or lightly for that matter. _

'Oh no...'_ He looked up from his lap upon seeing her in the doorway and noticed the pictures in her hand right away. That only meant one thing to him, and she then shortly confirmed it to him when he decided to ask anyway._

_"Dad...it turns out...I am pregnant. And...with twins..."_

_She spoke those words almost monotonously, like a robot. She looked down at the floor in order to avoid eye contact, but he could still see her face was devoid of any sort of emotion. Honestly, he knew the second she opened the door leading into the room. He could clearly see the sonograms being clutched tightly in her hand. That was the moment he could feel his heart break. At that moment, he felt, for the first time, a pain in his chest that could even rival the pain he felt when Kotoko passed._

_His first instinct was to hold her tightly, shrugging off any confused looks anyone in the room gave them. He wouldn't have notice them anyway. When she didn't respond to him hugging her and whispering the most comforting things he could think of into her ear for a minute, he led her to the car and they drove home._

_Still no reaction from her. It just seemed flat-out unhealthy to him at that point. She had to have had some sort of feeling about all of it. He even tried to talk about their options as he drove them home, but not even then did she say a word to the poor man. He wished so badly that she didn't try to stay so strong all the time in the face of others, but alas. At that point, he wasn't sure if she was ever going to want to talk about it, even though they'd obviously have to eventually._

_Then, the unexpected finally happened not long after they arrived home._

_"Honey, I have a shift I need to get to in a few minutes. Do you think you'll be okay for the rest of tonight while I'm-" Ranka began as he was coming out of his bedroom in his tranny attire, ready for work. He froze and was quite taken aback to see his daughter standing lifelessly in front of his bedroom door, but this time, he noticed how her expression looked softer than it had appeared earlier. "Haruhi, honey...what is it?" Screw work, he was willing to listen to anything she'd have to say to him._

_At that moment, she cracked._

_Ranka immediately wrapped his arms around her again the second she began bawling into his chest. He couldn't remember what she was trying to tell him through her sobs, or how long he stood there comforting her. But while it was heart-breaking to see her so sad, he was relieved that she finally let her emotions out. She needed to be able to, considering the long, emotional road ahead of her._

* * *

Ranka was surprised by how well he remembered that day. Though...it was a pretty significant day for both him _and_ his daughter after all, considering it was the day he learned about the existence of his first grandchild. So yeah, there's truthfully no surprise that would remain fresh in his memory bank.

He held his head in his hands in distress as he sat as patiently as he could in the second Suoh mansion's sitting room (where everyone gathered when Ranka told them that he had dire news to share), waiting for someone to just say _something _intelligible about the information he just told them: that Haruhi had officially gone into labor. He had only received the news himself about half an hour ago from Hikaru, who phoned him the second Haruhi was placed in the care of the ship's medical staff. Considering how premature she was and the fact that she was going to end up giving birth on a _cruise ship_, this was certainly not something to take lightly.

Tamaki and Honey, to no one's shock, were running around the room idiotically while shouting incoherent things in their states of panic whereas Kyoya and Mori sat silently on a sofa with Ranka, staring straight ahead of themselves at nothing in particular, trying to think of something to say. However, it was still a lot for their minds to absorb. But finally...

"I guess I'll...try to see if I can get us some sort of transportation that will get us to the ship in time for the baby's birth." Tamaki and Honey failed to hear Kyoya's comment as he sat up and made his announcement. Mori and Ranka, without even looking up at him, merely grunted approvingly in response.

Never before in his life had Kyoya felt so awkward in any sort of situation, but there is a first time for everything, one would guess. He gave everyone an uncomfortable glance as began exiting the room.

"...Okay then." He excused himself from the sitting room, looking back one last time. He shrugged off the second round of grunts he received, not giving them a second thought, and bolted for the nearest bathroom, and fast.

On the one hand, Kyoya wanted to get away from the crowd in order to make his call, but on the other hand, he also didn't want anyone to see him look vulnerable. That's right, at that moment, Kyoya Ootori's facial expression was _vulnerable-looking_. Even around his best friends (and one of their dads), he refused to allow anyone to see him look weak, but the second Ranka had delivered them the unsettling news about Haruhi, he had unintentionally let down his own barriers and was glad to have an excuse to run away before anyone could notice, even though no one would really care. But still, Kyoya is Kyoya.

After finally finding a bathroom and enterting it, he immediately slammed the door shut.

"**Dammit!**" he cursed loudly to himself after turning around to pound his arm against the door. After doing so, he began panting hard and leaned his head against the door, not caring about how uncomfortable it felt. Now that he was alone, he had no problem taking off his mask, which resulted in a few silent tears running down his face.

_'How could this have happened to her? I was with her throughout the majority of her pregnancy and made sure everything would be okay. I made her doctors work extra hard, made sure she didn't strain herself at school, hell, I even did extra research to educate myself even further about her condition just to be safe side. Oh God...why? Why, when we were all trying to be so careful, did this have to happen? What if the child ends up not making it? That possibility still exists. But...more importantly, why did any of this have to happen in the first place...?'_

* * *

_There was nothing unusual happening one particular Sunday night all the way back in March. As usual, Kyoya was chilling out in his (ridiculously gigantic) bedroom as he worked on homework, studied for tests, and finished his usual club-related stuff. He had his Pineapple laptop and various books (many of which were black) spread out neatly in front of him on his desk and was completely consumed in his work. Thankfully, over the past couple of years, he figured out how to keep his nosy sister out of his drawers (and his room all together), so all and all, he was quite content with his current working conditions, as well as that evening._

_As expected, he, along with everyone else, was still a bit shaken up by the tragic depature of one of the club's members, but he was able to get back into the swing of things quickly. Not that he wasn't still disheartened by everything going on, but he had gotten through it and knew he had move on in order to get what he needed to do done. _

_So yeah, it was really just an average night for the young Ootori, as he was expecting...that is, until he heard his phone ring._

_"Hello?" he picked it up and answered it, not even flinching or looking away from his laptop screen as he did so._

_"Kyoya-sama? Good evening, it's Sayaka Takanura. I happen to work at one of your family's hospitals. I very sorry if I'm interrupting your evening, sir. Also, I'm not entirely sure if you recall, but about almost a year ago, you informed me of the fact that you happen to be good friends with one of my patients, Miss Haruhi Fujioka, and you requested that I inform you of any unusual occurances concerning her health."_

_Kyoya's eyes slightly widened at the doctor's words and could easily sense some nervousness in her tone, but he quickly recognized the woman's voice and remembered her clearly from so long ago. It was just like him to keep such tabs on the club's members, especially the newest one, to the extreme of tracking down her doctors (who, coincidentally, all worked at hospitals managed by his family) and ordering them to keep him updated on Haruhi's health. This was the first time he had received such a call, which was definitely unnerving, but he was able to keep himself calm and think positively. _

'I'm sure it's just a routine update that she's decided to start giving me as of tonight,' _he thought to himself, refusing to become worried over what he believed had to have been nothing. _

_He chuckled quietly to himself at the thought that something was wrong. What was the worst that could've been wrong with her? Okay, she might have been puking more recently, getting moody at nothing, and begun having weird eating habits, but he didn't concern himself with any of it and didn't plan to._

_"Ah, yes. Thank you very much again. So i_s _there something going on with Haruhi? That would be quite a surprise, considering that she's appeared perfectly fine at school lately," he replied calmly._

_"Well sir, I just saw her for an appointment this afternoon and she is actually quite alright. She's been taking very good care of herself, always eating right and staying in shape," Takanura said, trying to sound at least somewhat professional and not as worried for Haruhi as she was. At the appointment, it was her job to be cheerful and not sound as fearful for her as she really was._

_"That's very good to hear, Takanura," Kyoya said contentedly, smiling to himself. _'Just as I thought.'

_"However, there was one thing of high concern that I found out, Kyoya-sama, and I figured it was something that you might care to know..." _

_Kyoya's face immediatly fell._

_"...Yes, Doctor? What did you discover about Haruhi's health?"_

_"Well...I'll be honest, it's not necessarily something _bad_, per se, and it's actually something most women would be thrilled about. But sadly, taking Miss Fujioka's age and current financial status into consideration, it's certainly something quite...unfortunate, in her case. The second I informed her of her current condition, she immediately burst into tears."_

_"M'am, please...just spit it out already. What's going on with Haruhi?" Kyoya demanded impatiently, but a part of him wasn't all that anxious to know. He began slightly shaking and gulped nervously in between his words, beginning to feel fearful for whatever the doctor had to say._

_"Kyoya-sama, what I'm trying to say is that...Miss Fujioka is two months pregnant, and with twins as a matter of fact."_

_The phone dropped out of Kyoya's hand at the exact same moment his mouth fell open in complete and utter shock. He could almost literally feel his vision beginning to cloud and his mind going blank. After getting no response after a few minutes, Takanura decided to call it a night and hung up, but Kyoya didn't notice or care._

_He failed to do anymore studying or homework for the rest of that night as he pondered this newfound information about Haruhi. He eventually just collapsed onto his bed and stared up mindlessly at the ceiling as numerous thoughts ran rampant through his head. As he took everything into consideration, he took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose harder than he ever had before. He was just as unsure as she and her father were, but there was one thing he was confident in: he seriously needed to discuss all of this with her in person as soon as possible. This was going to severely affect all of them._

_But nevermind any of that stuff, the possibility of someone he really cared about having to go through such a tribulation was enough to kill him inside._

* * *

Before Kyoya had time to notice, he found himself, Ranka, and the other host club members were already situated comfortably in the plushest seats a plane could have. It was one of those planes where two pairs of seats could face each other with a table in between them, so Kyoya and Ranka were able to sit on one side and be able to face Honey and Mori. (Surprisingly, Tamakihad wanted to sit away from the group in his own seat from across the row.) Said plane was heading in the direction of the cruise ship that, based on the ship's coordinates, they were able to come up with. During the time it took for their transportation to arrive, Tamaki and Honey had finally calmed down and ended up falling into the same statue-like state that Mori and Ranka were in. To Kyoya's surprise, there was _still_nothing anyone had anything to say about anything. It kind of creeped him out.

Once he finally snapped out of his little flashback, the Shadow King looked around and directed a couple of intense glances in the others' directions. A grim look came across his features as he did so; he groaned tiredly as he took off his glasses in order to wipe off his eyes. Still, not a sound from anyone.

_'Hmm, everyone seems unusually quiet right now, considering. I would've thought that, other than Tamaki and Honey-sempai's incoherent blubbering, a few more words would've been said about Haruhi and Hikaru's current...situation.'_

Brushing off that thought for a moment, his little flashback briefly came back to mind. He was all alone in his room when he had first discovered Haruhi'spregnancy, without anyone around to see how confounded the Shadow King was (which was a site still yet to be seen by anyone else), whereas he was, at least in some way, present when everyone else did so (except in Ranka's case).

Next after himself was Mori. Kyoya stole a glance over in his direction to find him looking down solemnly at the floor, not making a sound. That was, in no way whatsoever, unusual, considering how quiet and pensive he always came off as.

Kyoya remembered then...it was not long after he had talked with Haruhi about everything and when she accidentally blurted out that it was Hikaru who raped and impregnated her. When Hikaru, after so long, finally showed up at school that day, and in addition, the club, the first thing he did was show them the sonogram he found. (Kyoya would never understand how those nimrods didn't know what it was until Mori had to explain it to them.) But for Mori's sake, he, being smarter and more perceiving then they all thought he was, knew what it was right away and somehow figured it all out quicker than Kyoya did. The Ootori had to admit that he admired his sempai for doing so. And as expected, Mori, unlike everyone else, remained calm about the situation and immediately confronted Haruhi about it so he could comfort her.

"Takashi, are Haru-chan and akachan gonna be okay? I'm scared for them..."

Ah, the sweet sound of ice finally being broken. Everyone immediately snapped out of their dazes and directed their curious gazes over in Honey's direction. The boy lolita stared up sadly at his cousin while tightly clutching his Usa-chan. Mori frowned at the sadness and worry he could see in his eyes.

"Try not to worry, Mitsukuni. I know they'll be okay," Mori said, smiling down on Honey while trying to sound sincere, but it was even hard for him to believe his own words at that point.

"Takashi's right, Mitsukuni. I know that Haruhi and the baby will make it through this alright, they've gotten through a lot already, so I'm sure everything will work out for them," Ranka added, also forcing himself to smile in attempt to put Honey at ease.

Honey then directed his gaze at the floor, before quietly muttering, "Okay guys, I'll try not to worry..."

Not that they weren't all worried and distressed about this, but seeing Honey of people looking so sad was the most heart-breaking, especially to Mori. He lived to pleasehim, but right now, there was nothing else he could do but wait, just as they all had during their little plane ride. He and Rankaretreated back to their silent, almost stone-like positions as they stared longingly at nothing in particular, just thinking. Taking everything into account, would any of them them really be able to focus on anything else at the moment (besides Mori's consistent hawk-like watching over Honey)?

However, Mori's gaze (for once) drifted away from his cousin and landed onto none other than their king.

_'Tamaki...he has yet to say anything this whole time, minus his frantic outburst not too long ago...quite unusual of him, but he must be thinking a lot. He's probably the most worried out of all of us, now that I think about it,'_Mori pondered, directing his gaze over to his kohai, who, throughout their entire plane trip so far, had remained silent as he stared lifelessly out the window.

Mori, without making it evident, was worried for him, even more than he was for Honey right then. Sure, he always went into the corner to be alone to mope and whine whenever something wasn't going his way or if he felt distress, but this was far more serious a situation. Plus, even though he wasn't being _nearly_as dramatic as usual, that was the indication of the severity of everything going on. Mori had caught onto Tamaki's little mannerisms by now, more than the others at least, and possibly even more than Kyoya. However, he wasn't going to interrupt the king's train of thought, whatever it was about. Either way, he did pity him.

_'Hmm...when Mitsukuni and I found out about Haruhi's pregnancy, we were definitely shocked and at least _I _was disappointed, but we were both able to keep our cool about it. But Tamaki...while he was furious at Hikaru and was certainly expressive about it, he was probably the absolute most hurt over it. At that point, he hadn't even realized his feelings yet, but he was definitely in love with her at that point and had to have been torn inside over everything. I pity him. Even now, while he's become more accepting of Haruhi and Hikaru's relationship, it's probably all still killing him inside. He surely still loves both of them a lot and even already loves akachan. But still...'_

Mori, the entire time he was thinking all of this, kept his eyes directed at Tamaki (who was actually playing the role of the lonely prince for real for once). It saddened him to see him looking so genuinely melancholic (even looking on the verge of tears) with his chin resting in the palm of his hand, not contributing to their conversation about Haruhi at all. Still, Mori was at a loss and realized that there was truly nothing anyone could do except wait, but only God knew how long before they'd land, along with how much longer it was before the big moment _everyone_ was awaiting...

* * *

"What the hell! I thought you guys were trained for this kind of thing, so don't you **dare** tell me crap like that!"

"Mr. Hitachiin, I sincerely apologize, but it's the truth and I'm required to tell you _only_ to truth. The fact of the matter is that with _any _birth, therein lies the possibility of a complication coming up that's out of anyone's control. Now unfortunately, I must point out the fact that with all the factors considered, the chances for a complication arising while your wife is giving birth are much higher. And while it truly pains me to say it, there is definitely the possibility that considering how premature the baby is, it might end up not surviving the-"

"**No! I said don't say that!**"

The poor doctor wasn't sure how else to react to that. Scratch that, she did. All she could do was act as professional as humanly possible. However, considering the current circumstances, it wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do, especially when the patient's husband was gripping her collar so tightly that she was almost lifted off the floor. It really did hurt her (emotionally) to see such affliction in his amber orbs; she could clearly see how violently he shook with each word he spoke, the oncoming tears falling out as he did so. Despite being a doctor for so many years, she had never been face to face with such an emotionally torn patient (or husband of a patient) before in her life.

"Mr Hitachiin! Please snap out of it for God's sake!"

Hikaru felt that he shouldn't have been surprised when she actually smacked him as forcefully as she did, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't just a teeny bit taken aback by it. Still, after he released the ship's head doctor, Mazaki, and recovered from the sudden blow, he relaxed a little bit mentally and realized that he was being somewhat unreasonable at the moment. Massaging his cheek, he looked back at Mazaki morosely, who was looking back at him almost shamefully.

"Oh my goodness, I'm very sorry, sir. That was inappropriate on my part and out of line."

"No, it's okay, I was the one going off. I'm sorry for doing so," Hikaru apologized sincerely, attempting to make eye contact, but his eyes pointed towards the floor out of the awkwardness he could feel between the two of them.

Despite her losing it with him, Mazaki regretted slapping Hikaru like she did. She knew that with everything going on at that exact moment, he didn't need anymore stress.

She was truly shocked to the core upon hearing his and Haruhi's particular case. Only maybe a few hours ago was it when the ship's medical staff received a call informing them that a certain sixteen-year-old pregnant passenger on board the ship had suddenly gone into labor a _month _prematurely. Knowing what needed to be done and how quickly it had to be done, she had a couple nurses somehow get a gurney over to Haruhi's suite and had her transferred to the ship's medical floor as soon as possible. (Considering how big and luxurious the ship was, Haruhi decided that there was no shock in the fact that there was an entire floor dedicated solely for medical purposes.) Thankfully, they were able to somewhat easily find her a place that would have to act as both a labor and birthing room for her and begin monitoring her and akachan's healths. They had attempted to stop her labor, but all attempts were futile and there was no other choice for them but to prepare to aid Haruhi in giving birth.

Thanks to their funding, they had all the necessary equipment and supplies needed to take care of Haruhi and akachan once he or she was born. Mazaki also greatly appreciated how calm, cooperative, and mature Haruhi was throughout it all, though it still saddened her every time she was around to witness her having a contraction, which were coming more rapidly than anyone expected. But for the most part, despite the potential complications that Mazaki was full aware of, things were at least running kind of smoothly.

However, that came to a grinding halt when Hikaru (clad in the appropriate delivery room attire, including the mask and smock) had approached her and actually expected everything to be perfect. But thankfully, they were able to get that out of the way rather quickly.

"Thank you, sir, I appreciate your apology greatly. Now, I need to get back to work right now and I think you should be with Haruhi. Are you going to be alright?" she asked him concernedly, looking at him with doleful eyes. He looked back up at him in a similar fashion, his cheek no longer stinging as it had a moment ago.

"Yeah, it's not me you should be worrying about anyway. And I'm still sorry, m'am," he said quietly, bowing to her after she gave him a smile and walked away.

Once she was out of sight, he inhaled heavily. Leaning against a nearby wall, he decided to rest for a minute before going back into Haruhi's room. He felt almost ready to collapse from the severe mental and emotional exhaustion he was feeling, but that wasn't an option. As he slouched against the wall, he took in all of his surroundings (which included a few nurses hastily walking through the nearly empty white hallway he stood in) and tried to get it all to sink in. Still, it seemed to him as if it never would unless he kept trying to. He tried to drill it into his head that it was all really happening at that moment.

Haruhi, the girl he loved, was actually in labor.

In what would hopefully be only a few more hours, she would give birth.

They would have a child.

He would be a father.

His life would be changed forever, even more than it already had.

And Kaoru wouldn't be there to help them out or be happy for them.

The worry and fear in his eyes increased at these thoughts as he slid down to the fall, eventually finding himself merely sitting there. He felt his own breathing, like Haruhi's, feeling laborious. He stared down at the floor, holding his head in his hands in pure agony.

_'Oh God...why me...? How is it that any of this is actually real...? I first was so sure I'd be able to handle this...then I was positive I wouldn't be able to...then I felt sure that I could when Haruhi told me she felt ready to do this...but now...I'm not sure of _anything_anymore...except that I love Haruhi...and our baby...and I want only what's best for both of them. But...I have no idea what that is anymore...'_

Hikaru had thought earlier that he had to have cried himself out of tears already. However, he thought wrong.


	36. Keep Holding On

(A/N: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! :D Here's your guys' present [and I apologize that you guys didn't receive it _on _Christmas]: the moment you've all been waiting anxiously for! Oh man, this is the longest and most important chapter I've written so far! I hope it's good guys! Please enjoy! :D)

* * *

To Hikaru, it was weird. Just flat-out weird. There were definitely other terms he could use, but 'weird' was the first one to come to mind, so he stuck with it.

The room he and Haruhi were in resembled that of any typical labor/delivery room anyone could see on any medical show or sitcom episode including a birth scene. As Haruhi rested as much as she could in her cot, Hikaru just sat impatiently in a nearby chair (which was quite comfortable actually, which was expected since it was a high class ship after all) and stayed as close to her side as possible.

It was hours ago when he felt as if he lost all sense of time. All he knew anymore was that it had to have been _many _hours since Haruhi's water broke, and he wasn't entirely sure what time that was. He did make a habit of checking his phone every now and then, but it didn't matter since somehow, every time he checked his phone, he forgot what the time was the last time he checked. That only contributed to making all of this even more hellish for him, waiting so long and not getting the desired results, the desired results being Haruhi finally being dilated enough.

He moved around in his seat in attempt to get comfortable (again) and exhaled exasperatedly, his facial expression giving off the impression that he was exhausted, which he became as he kept watching over Haruhi like a hawk. The entire time, he tried his best to keep a watchful eye on her, still fearing for her and akachan's well-beings. Despite how long it was all dragging on for and how tired he felt, the anxiety and fear were far more than enough to keep him awake and alert for so long, and without anything to entertain him even. It was quite uncharacteristic of him. However, that wasn't the 'weird' thing that was bugging him.

At the moment, while he was just thinking and waiting anxiously for all of this to finally just come to a climax, she was _sleeping. _And from the looks of it, quite soundly. This kind of disturbed him as he kept watching her diligently.

_'How is she able to sleep like that? I would think that the pains from her contractions would be enough to keep her up this entire time, even if she has already gotten the epidural. She must have some sort of unbelievably good pain threshold compared to most women,'_ he thought to himself, his own tiredness beginning to make him feel like falling asleep as well, but he resisted.

He rested his chin in the palm of his hand and his elbow rested on one of the chair's arms as he observed her. She was clad in a plain-looking hospital gown, had a couple wristbands hanging off her wrist for identification purposes, and a couple wires Hikaru didn't know how to identify sticking out of her. There were a bunch of machines nearby that were beeping continuously that he also couldn't identify, but nothing he figured to be unusual in this kind of setting. If anything, she was the unusual one. He frowned at how relaxed she looked, snoozing peacefully on the semi-reclined cot with one of her arms wrapped protectively over her stomach, as if some maternal instinct triggered inside of her that subconsciously told her to. She definitely had to be more tired than Hikaru could've been, considering how much she had begun to sweat since going into labor, but even so, to him, she was still as beautiful as ever.

Even though it was weird to him that she was able to stand the pain so well, that was something that Hikaru loved about her, that she wasn't as wimpy as most women. Still, he couldn't help but keep grimacing at the sleeping girl. For the minimal amount of time he was able to be there for her in person during the last eight months, he couldn't really recall any times when she complained about anything. He remembered her getting moody a couple times, but she never whined about or even casually brought up any aches or pains she experienced that came with being pregnant. In fact, he was pretty sure that if anyone ever even brought it up, she denied being in pain at all. This thought made him feel even more horrible than he already had throughout the last several months.

* * *

_"Haruhi! Are you almost done yet? I'm_ so_ hungry!"_

_Haruhi turned around and narrowed her eyes in his direction, but as usual, he was completely unfazed by it and kept that oh-so innocent look on his face that he usually had on when whining to her. Apparently, he was fully back to his usual self after being in Karuizawa for so long. After glaring at him for a moment, she turned around and continued her cooking._

_"Don't whine, Hikaru. I'll be done when I'm done, okay?" she said sternly._

_"Okay, fine. I still can't believe how cute you look in that apron though! Maybe I should take some pictures!" he squealed happily, but she refused to give him the pleasure of giving him some kind of reaction again. She was also never fond of seeing that mischievous look he sometimes wore when scheming something._

_It was maybe only a half hour ago when he had shown her the absolutely adorable nursery he had constructed while he was gone. After taking it all in and talking about it for a bit, he suddenly announced to her how hungry he was and asked (though more like just told) her to cook for him, since she was _so _good at it. At his request (or demand), she slanted her eyes at him, realizing that no matter how much he would mature, he was still the same sometimes irritating Hikaru and always would be. Still, she cared about him and always would regardless of his annoyingness, so she easily complied. He cheered and dragged her downstairs to where the kitchen was immediately._

'I guess I can't complain. I'd be pretty worried if he didn't revert back to his usual immature self at some point, though I really should be home studying instead of doing this. I didn't even plan on him coming home so soon, let alone staying at the cemetery for so long or coming to this house. But then again, I guess I could hang out with him and humor him, just for tonight though,' _she thought as she finished chopping up the vegetables and threw them into the pot boiling over the stove. _

_She was surprised that the fridge was already stocked with everything she needed, so cooking for him wasn't too challenging for her. And while Hikaru had insisted on bugging her quite a few times while she cooked, she was at least happy that he stayed his distance and sat quietly on a stool at the counter without a word for a moment, finally giving her some peace._

_"Hey, Haruhi." She cringed at the sound of his voice, almost dropping the knife and cutting board into the pot. A scowl returned to her face as she realized that her moment of peace ended. "While I was in rehab, I found this baby names book and hi-lighted some good ones I found. Are there any you like that you want me to add to the list?"_

_Haruhi's scowl vanished. Just like her to not stay irritated with him for too long. Sighing (and still not having the courage to tell him yet that she still wasn't convinced on keeping akachan), she put the lid over the pot to let it boil and walked over to where Hikaru was sitting, taking a seat in a nearby stool next to him. Unlike the way he had looked (and been acting) earlier, he suddenly looked more serious now as he plopped the small but thick paperback on top of the table between them and began flipping through it, trying to find a page where he hi-lighted something. _

_Trying to look at each page, she could barely read any of the names because of how rapidly he was going through it. A twinge of annoyance returned to her when she realized he didn't notice her trying to look at the book as well._

_"Hikaru, slow down for a sec. I can't read any of the names if you keep turning each page so fast, and-"_

_Just then, stopping mid-sentence, Haruhi lightly gasped. Her hands flew to her stomach as she felt some unusual sharp pain shoot up somewhere in her mid-section. A worried look came across her face as she wondered what that pain was. Yeah, she had all the other crap going on (soreness everywhere, swollen ankles, etc.), but that was definitely something new._

_"Haruhi, what's wrong?" Hikaru, releasing the page he was flipping, asked her concernedly, seeing how pained her expression was and how much she was trembling. He also began to look worried as he quickly got out of his seat and went over to her, unsure as to what to do or what was actually wrong with her._

_Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, she stopped trembling and her pained expression was replaced by a very relieved-looking one. "I'm sorry for scaring you, Hikaru. Nothing to worry about." The fact that she was now suddenly smiling and chuckling bothered him, and she could tell by the frown he had on._

_"Haruhi, what was going on? A minute ago, you were just trembling and wincing in pain," he stated firmly, almost coldly even, obviously still worried for her sake. He even began massaging her shoulders just in attempt to help her relax more._

_"Hikaru, seriously, I'm okay. I think it was just the baby kicking really hard." At that statement, Hikaru froze and his eyes instantly expanded. "But I don't think it's any big deal, I'm just not used to it yet. I just finally felt him or her moving only a few hours ago. It's fine now, really"_

_Realizing that he wasn't massaging her shoulders anymore, she spun her stool around and smiled at him in attempt to show him that it really was okay, but her smile disappeared when she saw how afflicted he looked. He sure didn't look the least bit convinced that everything was alright. She saw him look down at the floor desolately and his hands fall to his sides._

_"Hikaru..."_

_"So akachan was hurting you..." Haruhi gasped again at his words, which were spoken very quietly, but she could clearly hear them. She removed her hands from her stomach and covered her mouth, which was slightly hanging open in shock._

_"Hikaru, don't say something like that-"_

_"Haruhi, tell me the truth." Her hands fell from her mouth and she felt frozen when he suddenly grabbed both of her shoulders firmly, starting intently into her eyes. She felt her heart slightly break upon seeing how grave he looked. "No matter what causes it, tell me whenever you're hurting or not feeling well or anything. I wanna do whatever I can to help relieve any of your pain, because it is my fault that you're going through all of this in the first place, so please. Complain however much you want, I'll understand. I deserve for you to yell at me. It's not fair that you're the one going through all of this. So please, just tell me whenever you're feeling any kind of pain. Please."_

_"Hikaru...I..." _

_Haruhi's mouth still hung open in surprise, but she completely understood his intentions. Still, she wasn't the type to complain or whine about anything, even if she apparently did have permission to do so, which was just weird to her. But either way, Hikaru was obviously desperate about this. She could practically feel his nails digging into her shoulders (which somewhat contradicted what he just said). She knew that she'd have to say something along the lines of agreement, and it thankfully didn't take her too long to come up with something to say..._

_"Okay..." She swallowed hard. "But only if I'm ever in some sort of unbearable pain will I tell you so, Hikaru, alright?"_

_His wide grin and releasing of her shoulders was a good enough indication to her that he was cool with that, which he was. Another good indication was when he gleefully embraced her, nearly suffocating her in the process. She figured she was used to it by now._

_"Aw! You're so cute when you agree with me! I love you! I just wish I could've recorded this moment for akachan to see!" he squealed happily, which Haruhi just rolled her eyes at in reply. Again, same old Hikaru._

* * *

Hikaru was pretty sure that was the first and only time that Haruhi had ever told him she was hurting, and it wasn't even intentionally. Not once afterward had she complained or whined about being in any kind of pain, let alone just casually mention it to him at any time _ever_. Regardless of that, it wouldn't take a genius to know that she had to have been physically (as well as emotionally) suffering throughout this whole ordeal in some ways. It was just normal for someone in her condition. It was definitely not normal to him, but then again, she wasn't exactly a normal heroine, but it still wouldn't hurt her to act like one every once in awhile. Hikaru sighed for the millionth time as he thought this.

_'I remember back when Ranka told all of us about how she was never one to depend on others. Maybe that's why she would never tell me if she was ever hurting anywhere; she just doesn't want me or anyone else to help her, even if she really needs help. And I'm also sure she just doesn't want to worry anyone either,' _he pondered as he kept gazing longingly at her; she was still completely out, barely even moving. _'I guess that's just something that won't change, no matter what the circumstances are. But unfortunately...the most grueling pain of all still hasn't even come yet. I'm just glad that I'm at least here now, so I can be with her through it.'_

His train of thought abruptly came to a grinding halt when he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket all of a sudden. Sitting up in his chair, he groaned as he fished it out of his pocket, thankful that it didn't wake Haruhi up. He wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone at the moment, but looking at the caller ID, he knew ignoring was _not_ an option, since the caller was someone who was already furious with him.

"Hi Ranka-san," he said somewhat tiredly after flipping it open, though he attempted to keep his voice as quiet as possible.

"What? I can't hear you! Hikaru, speak up!" the tranny yelled at him, making Hikaru cringe and hold the phone away from his ear in response. So much for not pissing him off.

"Ranka-san, I'm sorry, but Haruhi's trying to sleep, so I'm trying not to speak loudly!" Hikaru pleaded, still trying to be quiet. If Ranka could see how desperate his expression was, he probably would've had mercy, though that obviously wouldn't be possible.

"Oh, I'm sorry Hikaru, how inconsiderate of me!" Hikaru slanted his eyes. No doubt that Ranka certainly shared some qualities with his tono, one of which was bipolarity, but Hikaru shrugged it off for the moment. "But anywho, the guys and I are on our way and I was just calling to see how my little girl was coming along! It's been hours, so it shouldn't be too long now, right?"

"Yeah, it wasn't too long ago when she got the epidural, so hopefully she'll be fully dilated soon."

"...Hikaru, is something wrong? You don't sound so good." This had taken Hikaru aback. "I'm sure you're wondering how I was able to tell, aren't you?"

"Um...kinda?" Hikaru only just realized that his apprehensive tone must have been pretty obvious to Ranka. But in the situation he was in, how could he not sound apprehensive? "But don't worry, like I said, everything's fine and akachan should be born soon...but...I guess...I'm just feeling kinda..." Hikaru's face fell. He stared at his feet as he tried to find the right words for it.

"Scared? Nervous? Terrified? Anxious? Worried? Fearful? Distressed? Yet still kind of excited in a way? The list goes on, Hikaru." Hikaru couldn't help but feel at least a bit perplexed (and slightly irritated) at how spot on Ranka was. To think he was able to tell all of that just from hearing his tone of voice. Hikaru didn't like to feel so predictable to other people.

"Ranka-san, how did you-" He felt even more annoyed when he heard the tranny begin to laugh lightly on the other side of the line.

"Hikaru, you're so silly! Have you already forgotten that I was in the exact same situation the day Haruhi was born? I know what it feels like, the woman you love going through all of this anguish, but then it feels worth it once your child is born and you see that adorable face for the first time. Believe me, I understand, Hikaru. And I can assure you that it's going to be alright."

Hikaru's expression softened with each comforting word his father-in-law spoke and he could appreciate how supportive he was being (along with not trying to scare him anymore), but he still felt somewhat aggravated with him and didn't want him to act as if he knew what he was going through. It seemed to him as if no one could.

"Ranka-san, look, I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but you really can't relate to how I'm feeling as well as you might think you can," Hikaru said, trying to get his irritation across. He would usually not dare to act that way towards Ranka, but he wasn't in the mood at the moment. "You and Haruhi's mom were probably way older than we are now, Haruhi wasn't conceived by unintentional drunken rape, and as far as I'm aware, Haruhi wasn't born a month premature either. I'm sure you weren't as terrified for her and your late wife's lives nearly as much as I am right now for Haruhi's and akachan's."

"Okay, maybe our situations are entirely identical Hikaru, but still...I know that you have to be terrified right now, and you want to help out Haruhi as much as possible, but knowing her, even if you were able to, she wouldn't let you." Hikaru furrowed his brow; he was still bewildered with how spot on Ranka was. Was he omnipresent? An ESPer? Hikaru had to wonder. "But you're with her now, and that's what matters the most right now. She's strong and can usually take care of herself just fine. But Hikaru, please, make sure that you take care of her, or else."

Ranka didn't have to make his tone darker for Hikaru to take his word for it. He had a good feeling as to what 'or else' would be. (Okay, not really, but it probably wasn't anything good.) His fear didn't last for too long though. Ranka's reassurance helped his nerves loosen up.

"Don't worry Ranka-san, I will," the soon-to-be-otousan replied sincerely. He even found himself cracking a small smile.

"Good. I'll see you hopefully in a few hours. I wish you and Haruhi the best, as does the rest of the host club. And also, Tamaki wanted to say that he loves all you guys so much. He's been quiet for so long and finally spoke for the first time since you called us. But anyway, goodbye for right now then." With that, the Hikaru flipped his phone shut and pocketed it.

He felt a lot better after getting all of that off of his chest. Ranka was right that Haruhi was strong and was able to handle herself well; that was hopefully one less thing he had to worry about. (He also felt happy that Tamaki was still on his good side; he would've thought he'd lose it by now.) However, even with that off of his mind, there was still a huge matter bugging him, and thinking about it made him feel mentally exhausted all of a sudden. He sank back into his chair as the thought haunted him and he ran his hands through his red locks in distress.

_'Haruhi might have the strength to get through all of this and will probably be okay, but...what about akachan? He's the one whose a month premature, and it's my fault. I couldn't control myself and I gave into my selfish desires, and now he's premature because of it...God, I hope he makes it. But even if he does, he's probably gonna have something wrong with him. Never mind how premature he is, how about all the stress Haruhi's been going through, the fact that I made her go on a strenuous ride, and all the alcohol she consumed! Plus...their was obviously something wrong with the other baby that caused her to get miscarried. The number of possible things that could go wrong are endless. Poor akachan..._

_'And along with all of that crap, I don't have a clue what Haruhi and I should even do with him once he's born. I mean, when she first told me about all this, that she was pregnant...I thought it was so easy...I mean, I loved her, so much, and I still do. I figured initially that once he was born, the three of us could just happily be together...as a real family. I mean, I'm _rich _for crying out loud!__ I'd be able to support us all for our entire lives, even if me and Haruhi are too young! I thought it'd be that simple at first, but then...she told me how against that idea she was and everything went downhill from there. But...I finally got to talk to Kaoru and I finally came to my senses, realizing that in all honesty, I'm not ready for this. Akachan needs parents who know what they're doing, who aren't as selfish and immature as I am. I hated that decision, but...it seemed like the best thing, plus I was able to get Suzuki-san so easily. Then all of a sudden, Haruhi just happened to change her mind just before she went into labor, and I was beyond elated that she wanted to be a family now.' _

Hikaru began biting his bottom lip, almost making it bleed. He did it in order to restrain himself from tearing up anymore. He had never felt so weak and vulnerable before in his life. He likely had cried more in the last nine months than during his entire life before. If he happened to suddenly fall into Wonderland right then, he wouldn't just have a pool filled with his tears, it'd have to be an entire ocean. Still, he absolutely refused to cry anymore now though; he knew he had to be strong, but it was so hard.

_'And now...it's really happening. She's actually in labor now...and is gonna give birth within the next couple hours.' _Hikaru began feeling lightheaded at the thought. He was amazed that he wasn't passed out yet with all the emotions overflowing within him. He didn't know which of the adjectives Ranka listed off for him he was feeling the most. _'I have no clue what I'm gonna feel once I actually see the baby...and hold him for the first time...and see Haruhi hold him...and breastfeed him...and get our first family photo taken...Oh my God, how on earth will I be able to let him go!'_

With that thought practically being screamed in his head, he abruptly fell right out of his seat and his body made contact with the floor. _Hard_ contact. But he failed to react in any sort of way. He merely lay on his side, his eyes bugging out as he thought such depressing anticipations. It was now official: he cracked, but just not as outlandishly as one would expect.

"Hikaru! Oh my God, are you okay?" Hikaru slowly creaked his head upward to find Haruhi (uncomfortably) looking down at him at the side of her cot, looking both worried for him and confounded as to how he ended up down there in the first place. Usually, she wouldn't have been happy to be woken up like just now, but she felt a really painful contraction coming on, so it wasn't as if she'd stay asleep anymore anyway. But at the moment, she was more focused on Hikaru than her contraction.

"Oh, Haruhi. I'm sorry, didn't mean to wake you up," he said sheepishly as he slowly got himself together and regained his sanity. As quickly as possible, he got back onto his feet and tried to keep his cool in front of Haruhi as much as he could. "See? I'm totally okay!" Hikaru laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. Haruhi just kept her gaze on him, completely unconvinced that everything was as good as he was apparently trying to make it out to be.

"Hikaru, what's wrong? And don't deny it and act like everything's okay," she said grimly, still not feeling too good considering how painful this contraction was, more so than the others, but she was more concerned over what was up with her husband, who let his defenses down. Haruhi wasn't shocked to see him begin to frown down at her, or by the fact that he looked so stressed out.

"Haruhi, what do you _think_ is wrong?" he asked her emotionally as he carefully sat on the side of the bed, looking straight at her in the eye. He didn't hesitate to place his hand on top of hers as he spoke. "In the next couple of hours at the longest, we're..."

Haruhi looked up at him sadly, noting how his own gaze kept going back an forth from her to where their hands lay, and she soon felt his hand gripping her own _very _tightly. He was obviously having trouble getting out whatever he was trying to say, but she had a good feeling as to what it was. She noticed how he was trembling to death, sniffling and about ready to cry, but he was evidently trying to hold it in as best as he could, even though she didn't think that was very healthy.

"Haruhi, don't you realize it? We're...we're actually gonna...have a baby..."

With those words, Hikaru began hyperventilating like he was dying and practically collapsed again, but Haruhi acted swiftly and grabbed him before he could faceplant onto the floor.

"Hikaru!" she exclaimed worriedly, but once again, he somehow got ahold of himself quickly and began sitting as steadily as he could on the cot.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry for that, Haruhi. I'm still just in shock that...it's all happening at this very moment," he stated much more calmly, no longer trembling and keeping his eyes on his wife this time. "I...I didn't think it'd feel so ridiculously overwhelming, but it is. And...I really don't know what we should do now. I know you said that you want us to...be a family now, but...I seriously have no clue what we should do now anymore. It's too much. And even if we do go with adoption, how on earth can I let go after seeing akachan for the first time?"

"Aw, Hikaru..." Haruhi stared back at him just as intently, squeezing his hand this time. Just like him, she had trouble getting her own words out as well. "I'm terrified too. And I wasn't kidding; that's what I really want, for the three of us to just be together. But you're right...I don't know if it's the best thing either, but unfortunately, we don't have much time left to decide, especially since...oh my God..."

Hikaru looked at her even more worriedly as she cringed from the pain she was in. But he started cringing himself when he felt her squeezing the life out of his hand, but he would be damned if he dared say anything.

"Hello Mrs. Hitachiin," Mazaki said cheerfully, suddenly entering the room, but the two of them barely noticed her enter, nor did they pay much attention to her checking on Haruhi's progress; both of them were literally in pain at the moment. "Oh my God, Mrs. Hitachiin, you're now fully dilated."

That was certainly enough to get both of their attention. Their eyes practically popped out of their heads upon hearing her words.

Looking in her direction, they found her talking with a bunch of nurses dressed in similar garbs as Hikaru's who came into the room as if on cue. The same nurses immediately began frantically doing a whole bunch of medical-related tasks, some of which they couldn't really describe, while the only thing they could do was watch. Haruhi, still in what felt like unbearable pain (which was not going away, no thanks to the epidural), soon found one of the nurses positioning her legs onto two stirrups, another telling her to start breathing patterns, and another discussing the baby's heart rate (which was miraculously okay) with Mazaki. Haruhi didn't respond; instead, she and Hikaru looked back at each other fearfully. More fearfully than ever before in their lives.

They realized that this was now it.

Upon this revelation, Hikaru almost collapsed again, but willed himself not to.

He and Haruhi gripped each other's hand as tightly as humanly possible, more focused now on each other than whatever the doctor and nurses were busy with, until Mazaki approached Haruhi and began speaking.

"Alright Haruhi, it's time to start pushing. Ready?" she said as calmly as possible. Hikaru was absolutely amazed at how much this woman kept it together. No way would he be able to handle a job like this. Haruhi, unbeknown to him, was thinking the same thing as she kept up her breathing patterns until she began to speak.

"Yes m'am, I think I am," she said exhaustedly. She gulped hard, finding it so difficult to believe it was actually happening at this very moment, but the pain she felt helped convince her. _'Oh God, I'm actually about to have a baby. Oh God.'_

She and Hikaru watched anxiously as Mazaki got into position, ready to instruct her on what to do, and all Haruhi had to do was comply. Still, she knew it was a painful road ahead of her.

But she and Hikaru, who got up off the bed at the drop of a dime, were ready. They knew they had no choice.

"Okay Haruhi, now begin pushing!"

Hikaru was shocked at how calm this doctor was acting in such a situation, but didn't think much of it for long. His attention was all directed onto Haruhi, who promptly began pushing as hard as possible. The strained look on her face and her quiet whining was enough to tell Hikaru how hard it apparently was. He hated that all he could do at the moment was watch and attempt to encourage her, but he was there, and that was the most he could do.

"Oh my God! Hikaru, it hurts!" Haruhi cried as she kept pushing, but was actually pretty quiet doing so. Hikaru still heard her clearly, and it destroyed him inside to see her in such pain.

"Come on, Haruhi! I know you can do it!" Hikaru tried encouraging her as best he could, still allowing her to grip his hand to the point of breaking it, but he didn't care. He stared down intently at the poor girl, all his attention on her. He was still in shock, but he kept on going just as well as she was.

"Haruhi, now breathe for a moment." Haruhi immediately fell back onto the cot in fatigue, breathing heavily while she could. She looked up pleadingly at Hikaru, relieved that he was still there. If he wasn't wearing the mask, she would've been able to see him smiling down on her.

"You're doing great Haruhi. I love you and I know that you can do this no matter what." With that, he pulled down his mask and quickly kissed her on the forehead before pulling it back up. She smiled warmly up at him, only feeling even more grateful that he was the one she was going through all this with.

"Okay Haruhi, now start pushing again!"

This was truly the moment. Haruhi knew that she was gonna be able to go through with it. She had to and she would. She didn't have much fun pushing, but it was something was going to go through with all the way.

* * *

_At the stroke of midnight, the carriage was supposed to turn back into a pumpkin. However, this particular spell had worn off around noon, and instead of at a ball, it wore off somewhere in the middle of an ocean. Everyone was aware of when the spell wore off and what event caused it to, but it made no difference, because Death is a permanent thing. There was no way the same exact spell could ever be cast ever again._

_It is a sad thing, but I'll be frank: I first believed that the spell had the greatest effect on Tono and that it being cast meant the most to him, therefore he would've been the most affected by its wearing off. That was certainly not the case._

_Since that particular spell wore off, everyone was forced to suffer through a melancholic period of time in which there was no spell casted upon them that was similar to the previous one. The absense of one was probably what caused them so much misery, so many tears, so much emptiness during that time. I feel horrible that it happened, and I'm well aware that it was all because of me. Or should I say, me not being there anymore...or ever again._

_I could go on, but anything else I could say would be obvious. Still, there's one thing that I want to mention: _

_During that time, Hikaru did it. He took that next step all on his own, and without me. It was mainly due to the fact that he had no choice, but eventually, he truly did do it on his own, and with confidence. I feel proud of him for doing so. I knew he was going to take this step eventually, and along with that, I didn't know what I was gonna do. In the end, while I'm sure no one's happy about it, including myself, I guess I didn't have to make a choice. It was made for me, but in quite an unfortunate way though..._

_But anyway, because Hikaru did move on, it became possible for a new spell to be cast. It wouldn't be able to be exactly like the previous one, but it would be able to bring about happiness that was lost among him and the others. _

_Even if I couldn't be part of it all, I'm glad it was cast._

* * *

"The baby's starting to crown now! One more big push and we should have a baby!" Mazaki announced very excitedly.

Haruhi, assuming she was still able to feel _anything _after all the pushing she had done, would've felt incredibly relieved that it was almost over. Hikaru, who had lost all feeling in both of his hands (since he switched them out halfway through the whole ordeal), was astonished at how far they had come and was just as anxious for it to end already. He looked down at Haruhi, who was practically bathing in her sweat as she panted _hard_ in her tiredness.

"Haruhi! Akachan's almost here! Like she said, just one more, okay?" he tried comforting her, but she could barely speak.

"Okay Hikaru..." she said, her voice beginning to sound dry. She was proud of herself for not screaming, but she had the incredible urge to. She looked up at her consoling husband and wanted to crack him an assured smile, but she had never felt so run-down before in her life. She was more concerned with using her energy on this last push now.

"Okay Haruhi, now give it to me!" Mazaki cheered her on encouragingly.

"Oh God! Oh God! _**Oh God!**_"

Hikaru hated this part, seeing her in so much pain and knowing that he was the cause of it. He knew that she wouldn't have to be here in the first place if he wasn't so stupid to begin with. He just _had_ to get drunk and knock her up. It was something he knew he'd have to live with for the rest of his life and seeing her in tears like this, using up all of her energy in such a gruesome manner, it was punishment enough for him. He didn't want to look, but he still kept his gaze on her the whole time. He refused to leave her side or merely look away for one moment.

...

However, he ended up looking away eventually anyway.

...

Haruhi stopped crying and opened her eyes back up at the same time.

...

Their gazes, leaving their original spots, landed on the same target:

...

The tiny wailing infant Mazaki held up after Haruhi had finished pushing.

...

At that moment, for Hikaru and Haruhi Hitachiin, everything else around them, even the doctor, completely disappeared. All they could see was the baby.

...

Their eyes widened to new extremes upon seeing the baby and hearing the baby cry for the first time.

...

They had met many shocks throughout their lives, but this topped them all.

...

At this moment, as high school second years, they became parents.

...

Their child had been born, and their lives were both changed forever.

...

And a new spell was cast...

...

_...with the birth of my beautiful little newborn niece._


	37. I'm with You, Reprise

(A/N: Dammit, it happened again. I had a ton of this chapter written, then I scrapped it and started over, which is honestly a part of why it took so long. T.T Oh well, I just hope that this is better than what I initially wrote. And maybe I was wrong; _this _might actually be the single biggest, most important chapter in the entire story, so I _really_ hope it's a satisfying as the last one, especially since it practically _killed _me when I was writing it! I can't believe this is it, but I'm really here at the finish line, so I hope this fic goes out with a bang!)

* * *

As everyone knows, there are numerous monumental events that occur throughout all people's lives that are engraved in their brains forever; those kinds of memories never fade, no matter how long ago it was when any single one of them occurred. The specific ones that people hold onto the best greatly vary from person to person, as expected, for everyone has different ideas of what they would consider significant, life-altering events.

For Hikaru, there was one memory in particular that he could easily recall at any moment's notice: the only doctor's visit he accompanied Haruhi at throughout her entire pregnancy.

After getting his pants sewed up and his leg iced from falling out of the ceiling, the appointment proceeded. He couldn't have felt more excited the whole time; just being there during the rest of Haruhi's ultrasound, seeing their baby right there and then on the monitor, already took the cake for him. He was sure that he had missed anything else they had already done anyway, but it wasn't as if he hadn't been wrong before.

Hikaru was anything but familiar with the unusual machine, a Doppler monitor, the gynecologist pulled out, but he figured it was something of some importance when he noticed how Haruhi lit up with excitement upon seeing the thing. Upon turning on the machine and placing yet another wand-like object against Haruhi's stomach while listening closely to the monitor, Takanura's face lit up as well within a moment or two and Haruhi only looked even more elated. Hikaru felt completely in the dark, not getting what they both looked so anxious over or why they were trying to listen so closely to the thing.

However, upon him questioning the point of the procedure, Haruhi simply glanced over at him briefly. Hikaru noticed how awe-struck she looked, but definitely in a good way. She then simply just told him to come listen himself. Somewhat irritated with the lack of elaboration on what the hell was going on, he complied and practically shoved his ear on top of the machine once Takanura moved out of the way. Quite honestly, he wasn't impressed with the weird whooshing and buzzing emitting from the thing. He tried to understand himself what this whole thing going on was, but just felt completely lost. Looking in Haruhi's direction again, she obviously saw how confounded he was and just giggled.

_"Hikaru, it's the baby's heartbeat."_

At that moment, Hikaru felt his breath being taken away. Suddenly finding himself listening more intently, he could hear it, especially as the noise became clearer when Takanura found a better spot to place the wand on.

It resembled some sort of weird thumping, but that was definitely it. It was the undeniable proof of the life growing within Haruhi. The life he knew that he helped create, the one he already unconditionally loved so much.

He fell speechless at that moment, on the verge of crying. While he had more than his fair share of tears over the last several months, for once, the tears he felt that were coming on right then were of joy.

That was, without a doubt, an event he wouldn't forget anytime soon. At that moment, that had become the most glorious, breath-taking sound he had ever heard in his life.

Heavy emphasis on the _'at that moment'_ part...

...because the new most glorious sound he had ever heard, though far less pleasing to most (if not all) ears, came to be none other than his and Haruhi's own baby's cries. Needless to say, the two of them had truly never felt so happy to hear such deafening wailing before in their lives.

* * *

_"Congratulations guys! You have a beautiful little girl!"_

Those words ran rampant through Hikaru's head. After all these months of thinking he had a son, akachan ended up being a _girl_. Not that he had any problem with it in the least, but it was definitely a huge shock to him and any visions or daydreams he had the last several months involving a little brown-eyed, redheaded boy had to be seriously altered now.

As he thought about it, he began to feel a headache come on and, as comfortably as possible from where he was sitting, laid his head on the side of Haruhi's bed, taking her hand into his own. Doing so helped ease some of his continuously building tension.

It was so weird to him to see her not pregnant anymore after so long, though it wasn't as if getting used to her petite frame again would be hard or anything. Either way, he couldn't help but stare at the girl's sleeping form. He felt as if he could do so forever, and considering all the sitting around he had been doing that day, it seemed like he already had. It still bewildered him how easily she could fall asleep, but he was somewhat glad that she managed to be able to. She needed the rest after all the pain she just went through all of less than a half hour ago. He didn't even want to imagine being in her place, though he'd willingly trade places with her if it meant that he could take away all the pain. However, even he was rational enough to know it wasn't possible, though it was a selfless thought, especially for him.

Still, regardless of all those thoughts and observations he had made, his attention was concentrated mainly on one thing in particular: the very faint crying he could easily make out that came from an adjacent room. He couldn't help but cringe as he listened to it. While he was more than happy to hear it (since it was a good indication that she was alive and her lungs were fully developed), it was pure torture to say the least.

He and Haruhi got merely a glimpse of her before the nurses whisked her away to another room in order to check up on her asap, considering all the possible complications. While it was for her own good, Hikaru couldn't lie about feeling somewhat heartbroken. All he wanted was to just finally hold her, and the wait was killing him inside. He never would've thought that it was possible to feel so happy but so depressed at the same time.

He gripped Haruhi's hand and the sheets on the bed tightly at these despondent thoughts. His gaze on Haruhi helped pacify his melancholic feelings a little more, but not to any staggering extent.

"You really did it, Haruhi. We...we have a baby girl..." Hikaru whispered softly to her. Despite his inner affliction, he found himself smiling at her as he kept his head resting on the bed at level with hers. "I...I just wish we could see her already, but all I pray for right now is that she's okay...but I'm sure she is. It just feels like...everything will be okay now."

Just then, Hikaru felt his eyelids begin to feel heavy. He couldn't help but feel as mentally exhausted as he was emotionally. Despite he urge to cry, he pushed himself to stay strong and tried shrugging off his affliction. Unless there was actually a problem, which had yet to even be confirmed, there was no reason for him to feel such distress.

_'Dammit, Hikaru! It's gonna be alright, so stop worrying! This isn't like you at all! Why are you getting so emotionally wrecked about this? This isn't the Hikaru I know!'_ he thought aggravatedly to himself. It was surprising that Haruhi's hand wasn't broken from how hard he began squeezing it, let alone still be completely conked out.

"Mr. Hitachiin?"

Upon hearing the cheerful tone of one of the familiar nurses, he immediately got out of his seat and sprinted to the doorway, directing his full attention to the young woman sticking her head through the doorway. Girls who gave off an aura as sickeningly sweet as her usually nauseated him, but that was the last thing on his mind.

"Yes? What is it? What's going on? Is everything alright? Is the baby okay? Is she healthy? Is she having trouble breathing? Are any of her organs underdeveloped? There aren't any complications, right? Oh my God! _Please _tell me everything's alright! I can only stay so composed about all this for so _long!_" he exclaimed desperately, suddenly yanking on the nurse's top's collar, scaring her in the process. There was no longer a single trace of his previously gloomy expression; his current one perfectly matched his desperate-sounding tone.

"Sir, please calm down! Everything's okay! Please stop shaking me before I vomit!" the poor nurse screeched fearfully.

Just like earlier, Hikaru soon found a woman's palm making contact with his cheek. He immediately released her collar and settled down. While he calmed down, took a deep breath, and began soothing the part of his face that felt like it was throbbing in pain the most, the poor freaked-out nurse just stared at him in shock.

"Okay, okay, I'm so sorry. I'm calmer now. Again, I'm really sorry," he apologized profusely, looking at her with eyes pleading for forgiveness. He wasn't at all surprised to see her perk up again as quickly as she did in response. "But anyway...uh...so...what's going on? Is everything...really okay?"

The nurse, smiling brightly at him once again, could sense how nervous he was obviously feeling, noting how much he was hesitating as he spoke. She couldn't really blame him though. The poor guy was evidently concerned about his own child, as one would expect, and didn't seem to be fond of being in the dark about what was happening. Even though he was currently trying to appear composed about it all, there was no getting around the fact that he genuinely was concerned and anxious. The woman decided that it would surely be kind of her to finally put him out of his misery now.

"Yes, Mr. Hitachiin. Like I said, everything's okay. We got her all cleaned up, measured her, weighed her, checked for any complications, all that stuff. I'm very happy to say that, in spite of her prematurity and everything else that happened throughout Haruhi's pregnancy, everything came out alright. She's somewhat small at only 6 pounds and 2 ounces, but it should be alright. She truly is a miracle," she announced to him happily.

Those were the words, the glorious Godsent ones that Hikaru longed to hear so badly. He exhaled heavily and the all the worry he had been feeling practically evaporated from within him. Though he had yet to feel as calm and collected as the nurse, a soft, relieved-looking smile came across his face.

"Oh man, I...I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear that, m'am. All I wanted was to know that she was okay. Thank you guys again so much for everything you've done, for both akachan and Haruhi."

"It's no problem at all, it's our job, Mr. Hitachiin. But anyway...I can see that your wife is resting at the moment," the nurse said as she leaned her head in slightly to catch a glimpse at the still inactive Haruhi. "But if it's alright with you, sir...Koyuki? Can you come in now?"

The nurse poked her head back into the hallway to call out to who Hikaru assumed was some other nurse. Out of his own curiosity, he was about to poke his own head out of the room as well, but it was unnecessary once the nurse cracked the door open more so Koyuki could enter.

However...when she did, Hikaru paid very little, if any, attention to either nurse anymore at that point.

A fly could have entered his mouth and he wouldn't have paid any heed to it at all.

At that moment, Hikaru's smile vanished. The look on his face was practically unreadable. He probably couldn't even tell what he was feeling at that time, but he certainly couldn't help but feel his breath being taken away once again.

Without even blinking once...without even saying a single word...he stared in complete awe at the pink bundle Koyuki held firmly in her arms.

"Sir...I have a special little girl here who I think is ready to meet her daddy," Koyuki, grinning just as jovially as her fellow nurse, said quietly as she began to hand akachan over to the new otousan.

Hikaru, still standing there almost lifelessly, slowly stretched his arms, not removing his eyes from the bundle of pink blankets for a single second. He gulped nervously and briefly squeezed his eyes tightly as he did so, not believing for a second that all of this was _really_ happening.

Koyuki took a step closer to him before placing the infant into his open arms. "Be careful now. Remember to support her head and whenever you're holding her from now on, stay seated if you're able to."

Giving those instructions to him was honestly of no use, as was both nurses bidding him goodbye and congratulating him again while they shut the door. Any and all noises within Hikaru's hearing range were completely drowned out.

Needless to say, he was entirely unable to pay a speck of attention to literally anything else in the world around him.

His bright amber orbs, never having looked so astounded at the sight of anything before in his seventeen years of life, were directing their focus on one and _only_ one thing...

...and it was none other than what came to be, with the exception of Haruhi, the most beautiful thing his eyes had ever gazed at before in his life...

"...My daughter..." he whispered almost inaudibly. "...I can't believe it..."

He couldn't help but repeat these words in his head, just to help him confirm what he kept gazing at was _completely_ real. He truly couldn't have felt more amazed as his eyes took in the sight of the little girl, swaddled warmly in the pink blankets, sleeping soundly in his arms. However, that only lasted so long.

Before he had time to notice, the newborn, still very sleepy-looking, slowly opened up her eyes, glancing right up at her daddy curiously. Hikaru, his vacant expression being replaced by one of surprise in an instant, lightly gasped.

Big chocolate brown eyes...just like her mommy. Add her short, fine red locks (which were held back with an adorable pink headband with a single bow on it) into the equation and she was even more breathtakingly beautiful than Hikaru felt he could've ever imagined.

Biting down hard on his bottom lip...feeling how heavy his heart was...he couldn't hold it in anymore.

Slowly but surely, silent tears streamed down his face...and his mouth formed a soft smile as he looked lovingly at the little girl.

It all clicked into his mind as being 100% real...and he couldn't have felt happier.

"Hi, akachan. It's me, Daddy. I'm so happy to finally meet you...after so long."

With those words, he began making his way back to his seat and, ironically like the nurse told him, sat down as carefully as possible, still not looking away from his daughter no matter what. As he spoke, the infant merely kept peering up at him cluelessly, but that was to be expected. Hikaru couldn't help but laugh lightly. He knew that his words meant nothing to her and it was impossible for her to really respond, but he couldn't help it; he was overflowing with too much joy to just keep it all in.

"It's...it's just so unreal, at least to me, but you're really here now. I just can't believe it...you're my baby girl...you're so tiny, but you're so beautiful...and perfect..." he kept whispering to her, only briefly stopping to sniffle or wipe away his oncoming tears. "I just...I just really can't believe any of this for one second. You're really my daughter...I actually _have_ a daughter...and that's you. And...I'm your father...and I never want you to forget that...ever."

Right then, Hikaru felt his tears coming on even more strongly. His smile vanished; he was surprised that the tips of his teeth hadn't been turned to dust by now, considering how hard he was gritting them, but he held the urge to in order to hold back his sobs. The baby girl kept her gaze directed right up at him, completely unaware of how emotional her father was getting at that moment. He still attempted to keep in said sobs, which was becoming a much harder task to do as he stared into her chocolate orbs.

"And...I never _ever_ want you to forget...how much I love you."

Hikaru thought he was strong, but that moment, he proved himself wrong.

"I love you so much, akachan, and...I never want to give you up to anyone, _ever_..." were his last words before he finally broke down. He had always been able to get emotional at the drop of a dime, and this case wasn't any exception.

Letting out his sobs (which were strangely quiet), he gently brought his baby girl to his chest to hug her as much as he could without squishing her, his tears running rapidly down his face.

Still, despite how much he cried at that moment, he could honestly say that he was anything _but_ sad. For the first time within the last several months, he was crying tears of pure joy.

"I...I love you, my little princess..." he breathed out, his voice now dry.

As his flowing tears began to cease, he carefully moved his daughter away from his chest and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Cradling her in his arms again and seeing her face clearly again, he found his smile returning. As he did so, he immediately noticed her wincing at him and fussing in his arms. Her eyes no longer looked up at him curiously, but wistfully.

"Aw, honey, is something wrong?" His grin disappeared once the infant began fussing even more distressfully, flailing her tiny limbs and whining quietly.

"Hmm...Hikaru...what's going on...?"

At the sound of her voice, Hikaru froze. His eyes widened. He didn't expect her to wake up so quickly.

"Ha...Ha-Haruhi?"

He slowly turned his head around to see her, the very girl who just delivered the little girl he was holding in his arms, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. He stared at her in surprise, seeing how groggy she was, still waking up and not fully conscious of what was happening. Gulping nervously, he was about to respond to her question, but their daughter interrupted him before he could get a word out.

To his complete dismay, she went from simply fussing and squirming to full-on wailing, just like she had been merely an hour ago when she was born. If Haruhi wasn't awake before, she certainly had to be now.

"Oh God! I have no clue what's wrong with her!" Hikaru, shooting right up out of his seat while trying to softly rock the bawling infant in his arms, was in full panic mode at that point. Staring in horror at her, he felt his heart break as he watched the tears stream down her chubby cheeks. "Oh man! Only a few minutes with her and she's already crying? I can't be _that_ bad of a dad!"

"Hikaru, please calm down and let me hold her for a second. I think I might know what's wrong."

Once again, Haruhi's words had the power to make him freeze at a moment's notice. Looking back at her, Hikaru saw her pleading, though somewhat serious-looking eyes as she held out her own arms. A little taken aback by how quickly Haruhi had apparently thought, he easily complied and gingerly passed the little girl over to his wife.

Despite the deafening wailing emitting from the tiny infant, Haruhi lit up upon getting to hold her baby girl for the first time. Smiling down softly at her, she, like Hikaru, felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes, the same eyes that perfectly matched those of her new daughter.

"Hi baby...it's me, your mother. I'm so happy to finally get to see you. Now what's wrong?" she said softly to her, still looking down at her proudly, in spite of the baby girl's screeching. Lightly giggling, Haruhi had an automatic feeling about what it could be. "Are you hungry? Hold on for one second..."

Haruhi had to honestly admit it: she was somewhat nervous about what she was about to do. While she had studied up on all those pregnancy books, she hadn't done any studying on motherhood (which included breastfeeding after birth, unfortunately for her), even after she told herself that she wanted to keep akachan. Not the smartest move on her part, but there wasn't any time for her to think about it now. Exhaling deeply, she pulled down the top of her hospital gown and allowed her daughter to begin breastfeeding.

After being positioned correctly, the infant ceased her wailing and began sucking. Haruhi kept smiling down on her as she kept sucking, despite the slight bit of pain she felt from it.

Hikaru could only stare in amazement as he watched them. He was at such a loss for words, seeing the two most important girls in his life having such a special moment already. While he would usually feel awkward watching something like this, it was different watching it occur between the two people he loved and cared for the most in the world. Watching them blissfully, he carefully took a seat on the cot and watched them longingly.

"That's a good girl," Haruhi spoke soothingly to her as her daughter began getting sleepy again.

However, as she watched her cease breastfeeding, it only then suddenly dawned on Haruhi.

Her smile briefly vanished just as the newborn fell right back to sleep right on her chest, but it returned, as well as more tears, once reality truly hit her.

"Oh my God...Hikaru..." A look of astonishment came across Haruhi's face as she removed her daughter from her chest and began cradling her. She looked up at her husband, who was still looking at her lovingly as he scooted closer to her. "...She's...we...we really have...she's really our...oh my God..."

Haruhi was certainly not the kind of person who was ever at a loss for words, but as she looked back and forth from Hikaru to their daughter, she couldn't find any words to say. This was a completely new experience to her and, aside from when she lost her own mother, most likely the most emotional one she had ever had. Though she still couldn't figure out how to say what she wanted to, Hikaru's light laughter was a good indication that he knew what she was trying to get out.

In response to her nervous stuttering, Hikaru gently placed a hand on the back of her head and began soothing it, which was enough to make her stop. Staring up at his smiling face in slight surprise by his actions, she then felt his hand push her head slightly upward while his head came downward towards her face.

Soon enough, she found him locking there lips together passionately. While they had only done it maybe a couple other times, and only within the past day, she had already learned to love doing this with him.

"I know, Haruhi. We have a beautiful little girl now," Hikaru, after they had broken apart, said quietly to her as he wrapped one arm comfortingly around her and began stroking his little girl's cheek with his other hand as she slept soundly in her mother's arms.

"...My thoughts exactly," Haruhi said as she admired her baby girl, also feeling her soft skin. "She really is perfect, and she looks so much like both of us. I just know already that as she gets older, she'll only become even more beautiful."

Hikaru giggled and quickly kissed her head, but then noticed how his beloved wife suddenly grew very silent and frowned at her.

"Hey, what's wrong, Haruhi?" he asked her concernedly, though he also saw that while her eyes suddenly looked sad, she still smiled brightly at him.

"Well, nothing's wrong now, but...I have to admit, the last year hasn't been the easiest for any of us. We all loved Kaoru so much...and...I don't think any of us had ever felt so much sorrow or...shed so many tears before in our entire lives...but right now, being able to be with you and...holding our baby girl..." Haruhi sniffled loudly before finishing, losing her fight against her own oncoming tears. "...While I regret that we lost Kaoru...this moment right now just takes away all of the pain. And...I want it to feel like this forever...and it can, Hikaru."

Hikaru, taken aback by her words, saw her look back up at him so mirthfully that he could easily tell what she was talking about. Upon realization of what she meant, his eyes looked even more optimistic.

"I do too, Haruhi. I'm happy...that even though it is a bit soon...and even though I'm still nervous to death...we can finally be a family together...you, me, and our precious little akachan."

With that, the two of them then exchanged another quick kiss when out of nowhere, the looked down to find the newest member of their family looking up at them curiously again, cooing for their attention. Hikaru couldn't help but feel gleeful just looking at her and allowed her to grab his pinky. Something then suddenly occurred to him.

"Oh yeah...we should probably come up with something to call her besides 'akachan'. I doubt that'll go well once she's no longer an actual akachan," he said matter-of-factly.

"That's a good point." Haruhi laughed in response. "Well, what do you think? There are plenty of 'H' names we could choose from that are good. Hiromi, Hitomi, Hikari, Haruka, it goes on. Do you have any preferences? ...Uh, Hikaru?"

Haruhi looked at him in a puzzled manner, seeing that he was suddenly looking very intently at the nameless Hitachiin, who began sucking none stop on his right finger now. She was confused at why he looked so seriously at her, it just didn't seem like him.

"It's crazy..." he said in a pensive manner. "She looks like both of us so much...and she's also starting to remind me of Kaoru...just when I was about to forget about him. I'm glad that she does look like him, to be honest. I hope she grows up to be like him, even though she could never replace him. He was the best brother I could've asked for..."

At those words, Haruhi couldn't help but begin to feel sad and pensive as well. Though she did have to admit, looking at her daughter, who had her father's fiery red locks and her innocent-looking chocolate eyes, she could definitely see some of Kaoru in her. He was practically identical to his brother, but he did have a little more innocence than Hikaru ever had. It was crazy that their little girl could epitomize him so well.

"Well...what do you think of...Kao...-ko?"

Haruhi liked the idea of attributing her name to her late uncle, but it seemed like a better idea to not use his exact name, for the sake of keeping it specially for him. At her suggestion, Hikaru's face almost instantly brightened again and he planted another one on her. She was glad to see that he apparently liked the idea, but then thought about how she would probably have to get used to him planting ones on her as frequently as he has been.

"I'm guessing you like it?"

"I think it's perfect, just like she is," Hikaru said blissfully as he swiftly picked up his little princess and kissed her on the forehead again. "Kaoko Hitachiin...what do _you _think about that, my little Kao-chan?"

As Hikaru bounced her up and down happily, Haruhi watched them with just as much joy when they heard an abrupt knock on the door, which caused both of them to direct their eyes towards the door curiously.

"Hey guys! It's Koyuki! Can I come in?" the chipper nurse announced from the outside.

"Yes, m'am. It's okay," Haruhi replied, to which Koyuki entered, shining with as much exuberance as ever. Haruhi even had to admit that it was even too much for her. Hikaru refrained from commenting as he narrowed his eyes at the woman for interrupting their family time.

"Thanks!" she exclaimed as she closed the door behind her. "Anyway, I just came to see how things were going, though it seems that you and your baby girl are both doing alright! Also, I just wanted to let you guys know that once visiting hours start for the day, you have a group of some very..._excitable_ young men and a very nice lady waiting to see you guys."

Haruhi and Hikaru exchanged unamused glances at that statement. Said 'excitable' young men and lady meant only one thing. There was no point in questioning how they even got to the ship in the first place so quickly anyway; with the host club, pretty much anything was possible. They were just grateful that visiting hours weren't for some time now and that they'd get to rest before _that_ chaos would begin.

"But anyway, besides all that, how about your guys' first family photo?" the nurse suggested, quickly pulling out a disposable from her pocket.

"Oh, why thank you-ah!" Haruhi thanked her just as Hikaru practically jumped right back onto the bed excitedly, then carefully handed Kaoko to her mother. Haruhi would've scolded him had she not been in such a good mood at the moment.

"Oh my God, Haruhi! Our first family photo! Don't forget to smile!" Hikaru instructed her eagerly, wrapping his arm around her again as she lay on the cot.

Surely enough, Hikaru did, after so long, have a reason to really smile.

* * *

_And that was that. Hikaru and Haruhi Hitachiin officially became the parents and legal guardians of Miss Kaoko Hitachiin, 6 pounds and 2 ounces at 16 inches long, on September 8, 2007 at 6:54 a.m._

_As for that picture, while Hikaru had put on the biggest, goofiest-looking grin possible after bouncing onto the cot, Haruhi, who just smiled normally at the camera while holding up Kaoko so she'd get into the picture, couldn't resist rolling her eyes at his typical silliness._

_Needless to say, it only got crazier once the rest of the host club (and her father) got their chances to visit. As usual, Kyoya-sempai and Mori-sempai were the ones who kept calm throughout the whole thing while two certain blonde airheads and a tranny went ballistic, going on and on about how kawaii she was. While it personally drove Haruhi nuts to see her daughter getting passed around like a hot potato, Hikaru was quite amused by the ordeal, especially when it came to teasing Tono about every possible thing under the sun. Though it did give her a migraine, Haruhi was just glad to see all the people she loved having a good time._

_Once they ship docked, Hikaru and Haruhi were able to get Kaoko used to her new home (and a certain frisky puppy who couldn't stop licking her) almost right away. Sadly for Ranka-san (who made it a point to visit Kaoko as much as possible, as did my own parents for some time), Haruhi did eventually move out to live with Hikaru so that the two of them and their daughter would be able to live like a real family, though Haruhi was tough on Hikaru; with the exception of Anne-Sophie-san, she actually made him rid of any hired house staff, including the twin maids. The fact that they lived in a _house_ as opposed to a mansion didn't a humble home make, at least in her opinion. They did come to an agreement regarding how Kaoko would be brought up, so it ended up being not too lavishly, but not in poverty either.__ The poor guy will just have to get used to living like a semi-commoner from now on, I guess. _

_Though I will admit, he has turned out to be a way better father than any of us could imagine. Is he perfect? Hardly, but he tries and had really grown up. Obviously, neither of them had been really prepared or had a clue about raising a baby, but after some time, they did learn with some help from Ranka-san and Anne-Sophie-san. How funny though. _Never _in my life could I have ever envisioned my brother actually changing a diaper or giving formula to a baby (and successfully even) when he would be older, let alone at only seventeen. But still,__ I've never been more proud of him, ever._

_However, sadly for the the new parents, school had started sooner then they'd have liked. Yanking Hikaru away from his 'little princess' certainly wasn't easy for poor Haruhi, but she managed...kind of. He demanded that Kaoko be brought to him during all breaks, lunches, and the second school let out, though Haruhi seems to be helping him let go a little bit more each day, thankfully. He doesn't like it, but school is school, Hikaru._

_The rest of the guys had been going on as usual, enjoying their typical lives with the new addition to their family. They all act as good uncles to Kaoko, though Honey-sempai needs to learn that infants can't eat solid food at only a few months old, let alone cake, but Mori-sempai has been a good teacher to him (surprisingly to me). However, Kyoya-sempai will always seem suspicious to me, especially when he allows Renge to dress up the poor little girl to make a profit. At least it's also nice to see the girls at school taking good care of her and people in general (including the press) not snooping in on them anymore._

_All I have to say is thank **God **Tono had officially gotten over Haruhi for good now and was no longer feeling melancholic. How am I so sure, you might ask? Well, I guess I can't be positive, but not too long after school started up again, a certain American friend of Haruhi's and her baby boy came to visit her during host club hours one day. Obviously, it would be entirely unlike Tono to not treat her like a princess, whether she was an official club guest or not, but I have a feeling something more might be going on. She is moving to Japan soon, after all. Plus, I think it did score Tono extra points for being able to be so good around her son. All and all, happy ending for all it seems like to me._

_Anyway, that has now pretty much become the regular routine now. Get up, feed and/or change Kaoko, get ready for the day, Kaoko again, go to school, see Kaoko at any free moment possible, host club (which sometimes included Kaoko), go home, Kaoko _again_, studying, relaxing, Kaoko **again**_**, **_eat (which was different for Hikaru in that he actually had to help in preparing his own food), Kaoko _**again**_, get ready for bed, Kaoko _**again**_, then go to bed. However, sleep had the possibility of being disturbed by you-know-who. This certainly couldn't have been the future either Hikaru or Haruhi ever imagined, but I don't think they would change it for anything._

_So...as days have gone by, with balancing both schoolwork and motherhood, Haruhi had definitely noticed how much happier Hikaru had become. As weird as it seemed to her, whenever he had the opportunity to spend time with Kaoko, Hikaru had never looked so elated before in his life. Haruhi was thankful every day that the guy she loved finally was happy again, especially after all the crap he had been put through, and she herself couldn't be happier either._

_Still, she had to admit, seeing him like that again...it was almost unimaginable. Actually, back almost a year ago during his twin's own funeral, when he had never looked so desolate before, she truly didn't know if he'd ever be the same fun-loving redheaded dummy again. He wasn't the type to get depressed so easily. However, that was probably the worst thing she could imagine happening to him...and to think that it actually _did_ happen._

_Right at that particular moment in time, she never thought for one second that if he were to ever find true happiness again, the way it would happen would involve her of all people falling in love with him, getting married to him, then having his baby. Having all that happen period seemed unbelievable; but the thought of all that occurring while they were still so young seemed even more far-fetched._

_However, it didn't matter anymore. It had all happened and that was that. But thankfully for Haruhi, it couldn't have been more perfect...though, that was what she wanted to believe._

_She did have one particular regret: a certain late uncle couldn't be a part of it all. She knew that he was the missing element in making it all perfect for real. At least she could keep in mind the fact that he was probably watching over them...and had to have been very happy about it all himself...which he definitely is._

_But still, despite that, the picture that she, Hikaru, and Kaoko got together of just the three of them in her delivery room...it was a good reminder that from then on, everything would be okay..._

_...And it was also solid evidence that Hikaru did make my wish come true._

_Way to go, bro. Good luck to you, Haruhi, and Kaoko in everything you guys do._

_Love,_

_Kaoru Hitachiin, Beloved Brother, Son, Friend, and Uncle_

* * *

(A/N: Whew! I'm so shocked...but I actually finished this! I honestly feel really good to finish something for once in my life! Anyway, I couldn't be more grateful to all of you out there who have read this, including my reviewers, story favorite-ers, story alert-ers, etc., etc., etc.! You guys **rock!**

So before anyone might ask, I currently feel like taking a bit of a break right now, but I'll definitely do some one-shots based on this fic [and said one-shots will delve deeper into the epilogue] soon enough. Unfortunately, unless I miraculously come up with some fantastic plot idea, these one-shots are the closest things this story will get to a sequel. Sorry if you guys were expecting more!

Also, while I might be doing those one-shots, once I've taken enough of a break, I'm likely going to start completely new projects. Other things on my mind right now include [dare I say this to all you HikaHaru fans] a KyoHaru fic [I'm sorry, but I have a soft spot for him!] and maybe something in the _Haruhi Suzumiya _fandom, though nothing is set in stone as of yet, but please keep checking back every now and then if you're interested!

Anyway...I guess that's it! _HS,HT,KW _has come to a closing now! I hope you guys have enjoyed it and...okay, I know I said back in chapter 2 that I wouldn't ask anymore, but I think at this point, it'd be okay...so anyway..._please _review just one last time! For me please! Again, you guys rock and I hope you've enjoyed! :D)


	38. Important Author's Note

**(You can skip this paragraph if you don't have any interest in my life or reasons for being on a hiatus, which I understand completely.) **Hi guys. I know, it's been a _long _time since you've seen me on here (with the exception of some reviews I've given to some fics). I'll be blunt before I get to my main point: I had lost a lot of interest in writing, even though I think about potential fanfiction and original fiction ideas all the time, and haven't done any real writing since my last update. On my first day of this school year (all the way back in August), I had gotten into a car crash that really took an emotional toll on me. I also had some serious social and academic stress going on for most of my first quarter of school. Basically, I've kinda been focusing more on other aspects of my life and putting fanfiction far off my radar.

I'm incredibly sorry to my readers who have been waiting for me to update any of my current fics. However, actually getting to the point of this A/N, I just wanted to put my current ideas out in the open in order to get your guys' opinion. As of right now, _Alter the Ending _is on a hiatus (and sadly has a slight chance of being discontinued because of my loss of interest in it). _HJ,HS,KH_ technically is on one too, but I don't plan to discontinue it (though the one chapter I do have posted of it could be considered a one-shot).

The biggest, most important thing I wanted to tell you guys was that, despite it's still growing fanbase, I'm not happy with _HS,HT,KW_, my current dissatisfaction likely stemming from the fact that it was my first serious fic that I've actually finished and because I've gotten substantially better at writing since my days working on it. Right now, I'm seriously considering doing some _heavy_ revising on it (almost rewriting it even, but with the overall same premise and maybe I'll retain some events), especially because I want to incorporate elements from both the manga and live action now.

So anyway, I want to know your guys' opinion on this drastic revision I'm considering. Obviously, if I choose to pursue this little project, I'm gonna have to take down _HS,HT,KW_ as it currently is all together since it'll technically be a different fic (though I do obviously intend for it to be tons better). I've made a poll that's now open in my profile, but I'd greatly appreciate if you guys give me your input in a review or PM. Whether it's your overall opinion if I should do this or not or an idea I could implement into my revision, any feedback would be helpful.

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read this if you have!


End file.
